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RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University baseball team will break in its new synthetic turf infield this week as the Colonels host the Purdue Boilermakers on Tuesday and Wednesday in their home opener at Turkey Hughes Field. It is the inaugural meeting between the two programs.

Tuesday’s matchup is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. First pitch for Wednesday’s game has been pushed forward to 1:30 p.m.

The Colonels (6-6) are fresh off a spring break trip in which they broke even at 4-4. After falling in the first game of the trip at Presbyterian, EKU reeled off four straight victories, taking the final two at Presbyterian and then defeating UNC Greensboro and North Carolina A&T before getting swept at the hands of a hard-hitting High Point squad.

After not winning a single true non-conference road game last season, the Colonels have already won six this season.

Junior Jayson Langfels and senior Anthony Ottrando have led the way offensively for EKU. Langfels enters this week with a team-best .455 batting average to go along with 15 runs scored, nine doubles, two triples, four home runs and a .909 slugging percentage. Ottrando, meanwhile, has been the ideal cleanup hitter as he leads the Colonels with six home runs and 19 RBI, all while hitting a more-than-respectable .400.

Sophomore Richie Rodriguez is adjusting to life well as the Colonels’ new leadoff man. He comes into Tuesday’s game with a .411 batting average and a team-high seven stolen bases, all while continuing to play exceptional defense at shortstop.

Junior Ryan Faidley was a pleasant surprise on the spring break trip. The outfielder hit .476 over the eight-game stretch with a double, a triple, two home runs and two stolen bases.

Freshman right-hander Austin Rexroat is scheduled to start Tuesday’s game while sophomore lefty Greg Terry is penciled in to go on Wednesday. Rexroat is second on the team with seven appearances, and he comes into the game with a 6.23 ERA. He has given up 13 hits in 8.2 innings this season, but only one of those has been an extra base hit (a double). Terry, meanwhile, leads EKU with eight appearances. He is also 1-0 with a team-best 2.25 ERA. He started in the Colonels’ road upset of Tennessee and went three strong innings, allowing just one run on three hits.

Purdue (3-7) lost six of their first seven games but the Boilermakers have recovered to win two of their last three. Their only loss in the last three games came at the hands of OVC foe Morehead State, 9-8.

Eric Charles has paced Purdue offensively, compiling a .425 batting average to go along with a team-best 15 RBI. The Boilermakers enter this week hitting .328 as a team.

The Colonels were an impressive 19-7 at Turkey Hughes Field last year; however, they have not won a home opener since 2007 when they defeated Long Island, 8-1.