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RICHMOND, Ky. – Junior Ryan Faidley crushed two home runs and drove in three to lead the Eastern Kentucky University baseball team past Marshall, 10-6, on Wednesday afternoon in a non-conference tilt at Turkey Hughes Field. The Colonels (12-11, 3-0 OVC) have now won five of their last six games.

All told, Faidley batted 3-for-4 on the day with three runs scored. Senior Anthony Ottrando collected two hits and scored three runs, while freshman Matt Phipps batted 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI and junior Richie Allen went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.

Sophomore Richie Rodriguez batted 0-for-5 on the afternoon, ending his OVC-best 15-game hitting streak.

Every Marshall position starter recorded a hit on the day. Kirby Pellant had two hits and an RBI while Kurt Lipton had two hits and two runs scored.

The Colonels used a season-high eight pitchers in the game. Freshman right-hander Austin Rexroat (2-1) picked up the win, pitching a designated two innings while allowing just one run on two hits.

Mike Cavalli (1-1) received the loss for Marshall, going 3.1 innings and surrendering five runs on six hits.

After the Thundering Herd took a 1-0 lead into the second, EKU took the lead off a two run bomb by Faidley in the bottom half of the inning and never looked back.

The Colonels added three more in the fourth as Faidley homered to lead off the inning and then Phipps and senior Joey Stevens delivered consecutive RBI singles to make the score 5-1.

Sophomore Michael Garcia continued to build on that lead as he laced a two-run single in the fifth, scoring Ottrando and Faidley and making it 7-1.

Marshall pulled to within three in the top of the sixth as Kenny Socorro ripped a bases loaded single up the middle to make it 7-4; however, EKU got one of those runs back in the bottom of the seventh as Allen scored Ottrando with a ground rule double to left.

The Thundering Herd rallied for two more in the eighth, but EKU neutralized that rally with a pair of runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning.

Junior right-hander Ryne Purcell then shut Marshall down in the top of the ninth to secure the win.

With the loss, Marshall falls to 10-13 (1-2 C-USA) on the season.

The Colonels will face Marshall again on April 14 at 3:00 p.m. in Huntington.

EKU returns to action this weekend when they travel to face Southeast Missouri State in a three-game conference series in Cape Girardeau. First pitch on Friday is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.