BOX SCORE I PLAY-BY-PLAY

LEXINGTON, Ky. – With the score tied heading into the top of the ninth, Marshall scored three runs, all unearned and with two outs, to rally past the host Eastern Kentucky University baseball team, 8-5, on Tuesday afternoon at Whitaker Bank Ballpark.

Junior right-hander Matt Harris – who had struck out the side the inning before – easily recorded the first two outs in the top of the ninth, and appeared to retire the side in order when he got Victor Ramos to ground a routine ball to junior shortstop Richie Rodriguez; however, Rodriguez’s throw was off the mark, allowing Ramos to reach second and giving Marshall new life.

The next batter, Isaac Ballou, singled through the right side to score Ramos and give the Thundering Herd the lead. James Lavinskas then blasted an opposite field two-run home run to make it 8-5.

In the bottom of the ninth, EKU got two runners in scoring position, but sophomore Matt Phipps struck out looking and junior Michael Garcia lined out to end the game.

Harris (0-2) got the loss for EKU, despite striking out the side in the eighth and allowing only unearned runs in the ninth. Sophomore right-hander Anthony Bazzani started on the hill and delivered a strong outing, going six innings and allowing just three earned runs on four hits.

Right-hander Jesse Fernandez (2-1) got the win for Marshall as he pitched a scoreless eighth and was the pitcher of record when the Thundering Herd took the lead in the ninth. Right-hander Josh King came on with one out in the ninth to earn his first save of the season.

Garcia and Rodriguez both drove in a pair of runs for the Colonels on the day, while senior Bryce Labhart batted 2-for-2 with two runs scored.

Ballou paced the Marshall offense, going 2-for-5 with three stolen bases, two runs scored and the go-ahead RBI in the ninth. Lavinskas, meanwhile, went 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI.

After Marshall scored in the top of the second, EKU took the lead in the bottom of the third when Rodriguez ripped a two-out, two-run double down the left field line that scored Phipps and freshman Bryan Soloman.

Marshall tied it with a run in the top of the fourth, but after senior Ryan Faidley scored on a wild pitch in the home half of the fourth and Garcia provided a pinch-hit RBI single in the bottom of the fifth, the Colonels led 4-2.

That changed with one swing of the bat in the top of sixth, though, as Thor Meeks crushed a pinch-hit two run shot for Marshall that tied it. The Thundering Herd then took the lead in the top of the seventh as Ballou singled, stole second and third and scored on a throwing error by EKU catcher Sean Hagen to make it 5-4.

The Colonels, however, tied it in the bottom of the seventh as Garcia delivered again, this time lacing a single through the left side of the infield to score Labhart and make the score 5-5.

EKU returns to action this weekend when the Colonels host Southeast Missouri in three-game conference series at Turkey Hughes Field.