BOX SCORE I PLAY-BY-PLAY

RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University baseball team scored nine runs in the fourth inning to take a commanding lead and never looked back as the Colonels rolled past the University of the Cumberlands, 15-2, on Tuesday afternoon at Turkey Hughes Field.

With the win, the Colonels improve to 19-18 on the season while the Patriots fall to 24-26.

Junior right-hander Macon Smith (1-0), who pitched for the Cumberlands during the 2007 season before transferring to EKU in 2008, earned the win, pitching three innings and allowing just two runs on two hits.

Cameron Ohl (4-4) picked up the loss, working just one inning and surrendering four runs on three hits.

The Colonels’ eight and nine hitters paced EKU offensively on the day. Senior Joey Stevens batted 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored while freshman Matt Phipps batted a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs scored.

Sophomore Michael Garcia had a team-best four RBI on the afternoon for EKU while sophomore Richie Rodriguez and junior Richie Allen both drove in three runs.

Jake Martin and Chas Hyde both drove in runs for the Patriots while Josh Wood and Jared Stafford both scored runs.

After an RBI base hit by Garcia in the bottom of the second got the Colonels on the board, the Cumberlands took the lead in the top of the third as Hyde scored Wood with a sacrifice bunt and then Martin plated Stafford with a sacrifice fly to center, making it 2-1.

EKU, however, took the lead in the third off a pair of two-run home runs by Allen and Senior Anthony Ottrando. It was Allen’s first home run as a Colonel.

Holding on to a 5-2 lead heading into the fourth, EKU exploded for nine in that inning to put the game out of reach. The Colonels scored their first three runs of that inning off errors, and then Garcia unloaded the bases with a three-run double down the left field line that made it 11-2. After an RBI single by Stevens scored Garcia, Rodriguez roped a double into right center that plated Stevens and Phipps and made it 14-2.

The Colonels added another run in the sixth off an RBI single by Stevens that scored freshman Austin Grisham; however, that would be it as the game was called after the seventh inning due to a run-rule.

The Colonels return to OVC action this weekend as they go on the road to face UT Martin in a three-game series at Skyhawk Field.