BOX SCORE I PLAY-BY-PLAY

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The Eastern Kentucky University baseball team pulled to within one run of host Indiana State in the top of the eighth inning, but surrendered eight runs in the home half of that inning as the Colonels fell to the Sycamores, 14-5, in the finale of this weekend’s series on Bob Warn Field at Sycamore Park.

With the series sweep, EKU falls to 6-13 on the year, while ISU improves to 9-9.

Trailing 6-3 heading into the eighth, EKU (6-13) pushed across two runs to cut its deficit to one. Junior Richie Rodriguez sparked the rally with a leadoff single and then went to second on a base hit by junior Jacob Daniel. Senior Ryan Faidley and freshman Sean Hagen then delivered back-to-back singles to drive both runners in and make the score 6-5.

In the bottom of the eighth, however, the Colonels committed two errors to open the inning and junior left-hander Greg Terry tossed a wild pitch and walked a batter before Robby Ort blasted a bases-clearing triple to center field that blew the game open. The Sycamores scored five more runs before the Colonels were able to get out of the inning.

Senior right-hander Stephen Hefler (2-2) picked up the loss for EKU, despite going six innings and allowing just four earned runs on six hits. Only six of the 14 runs surrendered by the EKU pitching staff were earned as the Colonel defense committed four errors on the day.

Left-hander Sean Manaea (2-2) earned the win for ISU, working six innings and allowing just three runs on eight hits while striking out four batters.

Rodriguez paced EKU offensively, going 3-for-3 – to raise his season batting average to .442 – with two runs scored. Daniel, meanwhile, went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, while Faidley and Hagen both drove in a pair of runs on the afternoon.

Ort had a big day at the plate for ISU, batting 2-for-3 with three runs scored and seven RBI.

The Sycamores took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Ort crushed a three-run homer to left; however, the Colonels tied it with a rally in the top of the fourth. Rodriguez, again, started the rally with a base hit, went to second on a balk and then to third on a single by Daniel. Both base runners then scored on singles by Faidley and Hagen, and Faidley scored when freshman Bryan Soloman grounded into a double play.

ISU retook the lead with a run in the bottom of the sixth and then added two more in the bottom of the seventh, before EKU pulled to within one in the top of the eighth.

The Colonels will try get back on track this week when they play Miami (Ohio) in a home-and home series. First pitch on Tuesday at Turkey Hughes Field is set for