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RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University baseball team split an important conference doubleheader with Southeast Missouri State on Saturday afternoon at Turkey Hughes Field, winning game one 14-13 before falling in game two 12-2. The Colonels trailed 10-0 in the fourth inning of game one before mounting a monumental comeback that was capped by a game-winning RBI double by freshman Michael Garcia in the bottom of the ninth.

After SEMO (26-19, 12-7 OVC) jumped out to a seemingly secure 10-0 lead through three and a half innings, EKU outscored the Redhawks 10-1 over the next four innings to pull within one heading into the ninth inning.

In the top of the ninth, Nick Harris drove the first pitch offered by reliever Macon Smith into the gap in left-center for a two-run double that gave SEMO a three-run cushion and appeared to spoil the Colonels’ comeback.

EKU (25-21, 8-11 OVC) was not done, however. Seniors Matt Davis and Aaron Barrows led off the bottom of the ninth with consecutive singles before sophomore Jayson Langfels, with one out, crushed a three run shot over the wall in right-center to tie the game.

Freshman Jacob Daniel followed that up with a double to center and junior Anthony Ottrando was intentionally walked to set up the double play. Garcia, however, roped a 1-2 pitch off the wall in right-center that scored Daniel and won the important conference game for EKU.

Smith (3-1) picked up the win for EKU as he recorded the final out in the top of the ninth.

After starter Matt Fyffe was knocked around, EKU’s bullpen – consisting of Smith, freshman Eric Sanders and senior Alex Napier – allowed only two runs on four hits over the final three innings to allow the Colonel offense back into the game.

Jim Klocke (2-4) received the loss for SEMO, working just one inning and allowing four runs on five hits.

Langfels led the Colonels offensively in game one, batting 3-for-5 with two runs scored and four RBI. Daniel, meanwhile, batted a perfect 3-for-3 in game one while Ottrando drove in three runs and Barrows scored three runs.

For SEMO, Klocke, who started the game at catcher, batted 4-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBI. Tyrell Cummings also had a fine day at the plate, going 3-for-5 with three runs scored and three RBI.

SEMO jumped on Fyffe quickly, scoring six runs in the first inning, two runs in the second inning and two more in the fourth to take a commanding lead halfway through the game.

EKU’s began erasing it’s 10 run deficit in the bottom of the fourth. Langfels got the Colonels on the board with an RBI single to right that scored Barrows. Daniel then ripped an RBI double to left center before Ottrando cleared the bases and cut the Redhawks’ lead in half with a three-run bomb to dead center field, making it 10-5.

SEMO scored one run in the sixth before the Colonels added three more in the bottom of the seventh. A sacrifice fly by freshman Richie Rodriguez, an RBI double by Barrows and an RBI single by senior Tyler Rehmel produced those runs.

The Colonels pulled within one in the eighth when Garcia recorded an RBI groundout and junior Joey Stevens laced an RBI base hit into center.

In game two, SEMO jumped out to another early lead and held onto it.

The Redhawks scored two four runs in the second, two runs in the third and six runs in the fourth to put the game away.

Sophomore Paul Duncan (6-6) got the loss in game two, going just two innings and allowing six runs on six hits.

James Leigh (7-1) hurled a complete game for SEMO, allowing just two runs on eight hits through his seven innings of work. He also fanned seven batters.

Barrows paced the Colonels offensively in game one, going 2-for-3 with a run scored. Langfels recorded the only two RBI in the game for EKU.

SEMO was led at the plate by Matt Wagner who finished the game 2-for-3 with two runs scored and five RBI.

It was Wagner’s three-run home run in the top of the fourth that ended SEMO’s scoring for the day and put the Redhawks up 12-0.

After Barrows singled and Rehmel doubled in the bottom of the fifth, Langfels ripped a single up the middle that scored both base runners and produced EKU’s only runs of the game.

EKU will host SEMO tomorrow, May 10, in the deciding game of this weekend’s series. First pitch at Turkey Hughes Field is set for 1:00 p.m. EST.