GAME ONE: BOX SCORE I PLAY-BY-PLAY
GAME TWO: BOX SCORE I PLAY-BY-PLAY

CHARLESTON, Ill. – The Eastern Kentucky University baseball team was swept in a conference doubleheader with Eastern Illinois on Sunday afternoon at Monier Field at Coaches Stadium, dropping game one, 8-1, before losing game two, 5-4.

With the losses, EKU falls to 7-17 (1-2 OVC) on the year, while the wins improve EIU to 6-14 (2-1 OVC).

Freshman left-hander Kyle McGrath (2-1) picked up the loss in game one, but kept the Colonels in the game, going five innings of the seven-inning affair and allowing just four runs on eight hits.

Right-hander Luke Bushur (2-2) tossed a gem for EIU, working 5.1 innings and surrendering just one run on three hits to earn his second win of the year.

McGrath cruised through the first three innings, but EIU got on the board in the bottom of the fourth as David Ciaglia and Brad Schweigert both singled in runs; however, the lefty escaped even further damage when he struck out Zach Borenstein swinging with the bases loaded and two outs to get out of the inning.

After the Panthers added another in the bottom of the fifth, the Colonels scored their lone run of the game in the top of the sixth as senior Bryce Labhart hit the first home run of his career, a solo shot to right that made it 3-1. Things began to unravel for the EKU bullpen in the bottom half of that inning, though, as Jacob Reese singled in a run off sophomore right-hander Austin Rexroat before T.J. McManus crushed a grand slam off senior right-hander Jim Clancy to make it 8-1 and blow the game wide open.

Senior right-hander Stephen Hefler (2-3) received the loss for the Colonels in game two, turning in 4.1 innings of work and allowing five runs on 11 hits.

Southpaw Christian Slazinik (1-4) picked up his for win of the year for EIU, going five innings and surrendering four runs on four hits while striking out eight batters.

EIU scored a run in each of the first two innings of game two, but EKU took the lead in the top of the fourth when senior Ryan Faidley blasted a two-run double into the gap in left center, advanced to third on a groundout by freshman Sean Hagen and then scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-2.

The Panthers retook the lead in the bottom of the fifth, though, as Ben Thoma launched a three-run homer to left-center that gave EIU a two-run advantage. The Colonels cut that lead to one in the top of the sixth as sophomore Matt Phipps walked, went to second on a base hit by junior Jacob Daniel, stole third and then scored on an error by EIU second baseman Brad Schweigert, but EKU went down in order in the seventh as Labhart struck out looking to end the game.

The Colonels struck out 19 times in the doubleheader on Sunday.

EKU returns to action on Tuesday, March 29, when the Colonels host Marshall at the Lexington Legends Ballpark at 3:00 p.m.