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RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University baseball team used two big innings to surge past Xavier, 11-6, Tuesday afternoon at Turkey Hughes Field. The Colonels scored seven runs in the third inning to take the lead and added four more in the fifth to secure it. They did not score in any other inning. 

After Xavier (20-15, 8-7 A-10) plated three runs in their half of the third to take the lead, senior Matt Davis opened the home half of the inning with a double down the left field line that sparked the Colonel rally. Following consecutive walks to seniors Tyler Rehmel and Aaron Barrows, sophomore Jayson Langfels, the national leader in RBI per game, delivered a two-run double down the left field line that slashed EKU’s deficit to one.

The Colonels (20-16, 6-8 OVC), however, were far from finished. The next batter, freshman Jacob Daniel, legged out an RBI single to the shortstop, scoring pinch runner Dustin Dunlop and tying the score. After Langfels and Daniel executed a double steal, junior Anthony Ottrando laced a two-run base hit through the infield to give EKU the lead, 5-3.

Ottrando went to third on a single to right by freshman Michael Garcia and then scored on a base hit up the middle off the bat of junior Joey Stevens. Davis ended the rally the same way he began it, with an double to left field, this one scoring freshman Richie Rodriguez and making the score 7-3.

Big third innings are nothing new for EKU. The Colonels have now scored 64 runs in third innings throughout the season, 14 more than any other inning.

Sophomore Macon Smith (3-1) earned the win for EKU, pitching the third inning and into the fourth while allowing one run on two hits.

Sophomore Matt Fyffe started on the hill for the Colonels and went two innings, surrendering three runs on three hits. He also struck out four batters. Senior Alex Napier worked a solid 4.2 innings, allowing just two runs (one earned) on four hits. Freshman Eric Sanders came on in the ninth to close things down and did so effectively, holding the Musketeers to no runs on one hit.

Starter Josh Deeg (2-2) received the loss for Xavier, pitching two complete and allowing six runs on seven hits.

Davis led the Colonels at the plate, going 3-for-6 with two runs scored and an RBI. Langfels and Ottrando also had productive days the dish. Langfels batted 2-for-4 with a run scored and three RBI while Ottrando went 2-for-5 with two runs scored and three RBI.

The Musketeers were paced offensively by Drew Schmidt, who went 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI.

After an RBI single by Schmidt in the top of the fourth brought Xavier back to within three, 7-4, the Colonels exploded for four more runs in the fifth to insure the victory.

Ottrando opened the fifth with a tape measure solo bomb to left. After a double to left center by Garcia, Stevens delivered another RBI single, this one through the right side of the infield.

Then, with the bases loaded and two outs, Langfels legged out an infield single and went to second on a throwing error by the shortstop. Two runs crossed the plate on the play and pushed the Colonels’ lead to 11-4.

The Musketeers scored two runs in the seventh before Napier and Sanders combined to preserve the victory for EKU.

The Colonels return to action tomorrow, April 22, when they travel to Bowling Green to take on the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers in baseball’s version of the Battle of the Bluegrass. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. EST.