Game One: Box Score I Play-by-Play
Game Two: Box Score I Play-by-Play


MOREHEAD, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University baseball team was swept in a doubleheader against Morehead State on Saturday at Allen Field. The Colonels (18-17, 6-5 OVC) lost game one, 20-8, and then fell in game two, 16-4.

With the wins, Morehead State improves to 20-18, 4-4 OVC.

Junior right-hander Stephen Hefler (3-3) picked up the loss in game one, pitching 3.2 innings and surrendering 11 earned runs on 15 hits.

Michael Bottoms (4-2) earned the win for Morehead State, going 6.2 innings and giving up eight runs on 10 hits.

The Colonels’ 5-7 hitters led EKU offensively. Junior Ryan Faidley went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI and runs scored, sophomore Michael Garcia batted 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored and sophomore Jacob Daniel hit two for three with a team-best four RBI and a run scored.

Drew Lee batted a perfect 4-for-4 with three home runs for Morehead State, while Taylor Davis led the Eagles with nine RBI.

After Morehead State jumped out to an early 1-0 advantage, EKU took the lead in the top of the second off back-to-back solo home runs by Faidley and Garcia.

The Eagles, however, added three more in the bottom half of the inning thanks to a two-run homer by Andrew Deeds and a solo shot by Luke Bainer that gave Morehead State a 4-3 lead after two. The Eagles then pushed five runs across in the third and four in the fourth to take their largest lead of the afternoon, 13-2.

Junior Jayson Langfels’ solo blast in the fifth made it 13-3; however, Morehead State neutralized that run with one of their own in the bottom half of that inning.

EKU then plated five in the top of the seventh to cut the Colonels’ sizeable deficit to just six. Faidley brought home the first run with a single through the left side that scored sophomore Richie Rodriguez. Two batters later, Daniel made it 14-8 by crushing a grand slam to center field.

Morehead State, though, plated six over the last two innings to push their lead back to double digits and preserve the victory in game one.

Junior left-hander Paul Duncan (3-2) received the loss for game two as he went 2.1 innings and gave up eight runs on 11 hits.

Matthew Robertson (1-2) nearly went the distance in the winning effort for Morehead State, working six innings and allowing three runs on 10 hits.

Ottrando paced the Colonels offensively in game two, going 2-for-4 with a run scored and three RBI. Daniel, Langfels, Faidley and senior Joey Stevens also collected two hits apiece for EKU.

J.D. Ashbrook hit two home runs and two doubles to lead the Eagles.

EKU got an RBI base hit by Ottrando in the top of the first to take an early 1-0 lead. But Lee and Michael Fear both drove in runs in the bottom of the inning as the Eagles went ahead, 2-1.

Morehead State got three runs in each of the next three innings to take a persuasive 11-1 lead.

Ottrando made a minor dent in that lead with a two-run blast to center in the top of the fifth that scored Langfels and made it 11-3. However, Cameron Flynn, Taylor Davis and Deeds hit consecutive home runs to highlight a four-run fifth for the Eagles and push their lead to 15-3.

The Colonels will try to salvage game three against the Eagles tomorrow at 1:00 p.m.