BOX SCORE I PLAY-BY-PLAY

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – The Eastern Kentucky University baseball team rolled to a 10-0 road victory over Marshall on Wednesday at George T. Smailes Field. The shutout win gives the Colonels a season sweep over the Thundering Herd.

The Colonel pitching staff stymied Marshall all afternoon, holding Herd batters to just five hits. Freshman right-hander Anthony Bazzani (2-3) picked up the win, going four scoreless innings and surrendering just two hits.

Freshman right-hander Cody Alvey, junior right-hander Stephen Hefler, sophomore right-hander Matt Harris and junior right-hander Ryne Purcell all combined with Bazzani for the shutout.

The Colonel infield, meanwhile, turned four double plays to keep Herd batters off the basepaths.

Ben Frith (1-1) received the loss for Marshall, working 4.2 innings and allowing six runs on seven hits.

Junior Bryce Labhart batted 2-for-3 on the day with three RBI and two runs scored. Sophomore Richie Rodriguez also drove in three runs, while junior Ryan Faidley batted 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI and runs.

James Lavinskas led Marshall offensively with two hits.

Sophomore Dustin Dunlop got the Colonels on the board in the top of the second with an RBI fielder’s choice with the bases loaded that scored Faidley. The next batter, Labhart, legged out an infield hit to score sophomore Michael Garcia, and then Rodriguez blasted a two-run double over the left fielder’s head that plated Dunlop and Labhart and gave EKU an early 4-0 advantage.

A solo home run to left center by Faidley in the third – his third homer in two games against Marshall this season – made it 5-0 and then Labhart was walked with the bases loaded in the fifth to drive in his second run of the game and make it 6-0.

The Colonels opened it up with three runs in the sixth. Faidley provided the first run with an RBI single to center. Senior Joey Stevens and Labhart then drew consecutive bases loaded walks to make the score 9-0. Rodriguez capped the Colonel scoring with an RBI single through the right side in the ninth that plated Labhart to make the score 10-0.

This is the first time EKU has defeated Marshall twice in the same season since 2001.

EKU returns to action this weekend when they travel to take on Morehead State in a three game conference series. First pitch in Saturday’s doubleheader is 1:00 p.m.