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RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University baseball team will travel to Murray State this weekend to take on the Thoroughbreds in a three-game OVC series at Reagan Field. Saturday’s doubleheader gets underway at 2:00 p.m. EST while Sunday’s single game is also set to begin at 2:00 p.m. EST.

The Thoroughbreds (21-21, 8-5 OVC) currently sit in second place in the OVC, just a half a game behind league-leading Southeast Missouri State. The Colonels (22-19, 8-7 OVC) are in fifth place, but are only 1.5 games out of first place. It is safe to say this weekend is a big series for both teams.

EKU is just 2-7 on the road in the OVC this year and will need to improve that record this weekend to stay in the hunt for a spot in the OVC Tournament. Murray State is 3-2 at home in league play this season.

The Colonels’ series with Tennessee Tech was washed out last weekend, and they haven’t played a conference game since April 25 at UT Martin. They did, however, defeat Ohio, 11-10, this week at Turkey Hughes Field on a sacrifice fly by junior Richie Allen in the bottom of the ninth.

The Thoroughbreds had lost four in a row before they swept a Sunday doubleheader from SEMO on the road last weekend. They did not play any games this weekend due to finals.

EKU’s pitching rotation for the weekend will be junior left-hander Paul Duncan (4-2, 6.62 ERA in 34 innings of work), sophomore left-hander Greg Terry (3-2, 5.40 ERA in 46.2 innings of work) and junior right-hander Stephen Hefler (3-3, 8.03 ERA in 49.1 innings of work).

Murray State will counter with right-hander Chris Craycraft (5-3, 4.81 ERA in 67.1 innings of work), left-hander Jake Donze (5-5, 6.22 ERA in 63.2 innings of work) and right-hander Alex Love (5-0, 5.91 ERA in 45.2 innings of work).

Both teams enter this weekend as very similar offensively clubs. Murray State is fourth in the OVC with a .319 team batting average while EKU is fifth in the league with a .318 team batting average.

Preseason Co-OVC Player of the Year Jayson Langfels continues to lead the Colonels offensively, hitting .404 on the year with a team-best 14 home runs and 56 runs scored. Senior Anthony Ottrando is now batting .382 on the season and is third in the OVC with 59 RBI.

Sophomore Richie Rodriguez hit his first career grand slam and also added a triple to deep center on Wednesday against Ohio, upping his batting average to .370 for the season. Junior Ryan Faidley, meanwhile, continues to be a pleasant surprise for the Colonels as he enters this weekend with a .362 average and 10 home runs.

The Thoroughbreds are led at the plate by reigning OVC Player of the Week Wes Cunningham, who comes into the series hitting .425 with 17 home runs and 60 RBI.

Murray State swept a two-game series from the Colonels last season at Turkey Hughes Field; however, EKU leads the all-time series between the two schools, 49-42.