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CULLOWHEE, N.C. – The Eastern Kentucky University baseball team fell just short of another comeback win on Sunday afternoon as the Colonels lost to Western Carolina, 5-4, in the deciding game of this weekend’s series at Hennon Stadium.
With loss, EKU fall to 1-2 on the season while WCU improves to 6-1.
After the Colonels turned a 3-0 deficit into a 3-2 deficit heading into the bottom of the eighth, Catamount catcher Ollie Goulder launched his second home run of the day of the left center wall, a two-run shot that made it 5-2.
Senior
Anthony Ottrando continued his timely hitting in the top of the ninth by crushing a two-run home run – his fourth home run of the series - to right field, making it 5-4 with one out. However, WCU starter Vance Chavis completed his complete game by getting senior
Joey Stevens to ground out and sophomore
Michael Garcia to strike out swinging.
Freshman right-hander
Anthony Bazzani (0-1) received the loss for EKU, going 4.2 innings and allowing three runs on eight hits.
Sophomore lefty
Greg Terry made his second appearance in as many days, pitching 2.1 scoreless innings of middle relief. Sophomore set up man
Eric Sanders came on in the eighth and allowed Goulder’s second home run.
Chavis pitched all nine innings for the Catamounts and allowed four runs on four hits.
Junior
Ryan Faidley batted 2-for-3 with an RBI for the Colonels, while Ottrando contributed with two RBI and sophomore
Richie Rodriguez with an RBI.
Goulder paced WCU at the plate with two RBI while Cameron Dullnig went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.
In his first collegiate start, Bazzani pitched three scoreless innings before surrendering a two-run blast to Goulder in the bottom of the fourth and an RBI double to left field by Dullnig in the fifth that gave the Catamounts a 3-0 advantage.
EKU pulled to within one in the top of the sixth when Faidley laced an RBI double down the left field line, scoring junior
Richie Allen. Rodriguez then brought home sophomore
Jacob Daniel with an RBI groundout to second base that made the score 3-2.
The Colonels return to action on Tuesday in their home opener against Ohio at 2:00 p.m.
