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RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University baseball team will try to get its offense in gear when the Colonels make the arduous 25-minute journey up Interstate 75 on Tuesday to play Kentucky in a midweek showdown at Cliff Hagan Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.

EKU (3-7) competed in the Memphis Baseball Classic over the weekend at FedExPark and suffered two defeats, losing to host Memphis on Saturday night, 11-2, and then falling to Oral Roberts on Sunday afternoon, 3-1. The Colonels have plated only three runs in their last three games.

Despite EKU’s recent offensive woes, junior Richie Rodriguez continues to put up staggering numbers as the shortstop is now batting .514 on the season with four doubles, seven runs scored and only one strikeout. In his first collegiate season, freshman Bryan Soloman is also putting up big numbers for the Colonels as the Jackson, N.J. product is batting .326 with four doubles and six runs scored. In a midweek win over Western Carolina last week, Soloman batted 5-for-6 with a home run, four runs scored and three RBI.

UK (5-6) played in the Houston College Classic at Minute Maid Park this weekend and also suffered two losses, falling to Rice on Friday, 8-7, and Houston on Saturday, 8-5, before defeating Utah on Sunday, 2-1.

Luke Maile leads the Wildcats with a .385 batting average on the year, while Chad Wright and Taylor Black have both driven in a team-best nine runs.

Tuesday’s game will feature a battle of southpaws as EKU will send senior left-hander Paul Duncan (0-0, 9.00 ERA) to the mound and UK will counter with freshman lefty Cory Littrell (1-1, 10:38 ERA). Duncan, who hurled the eighth no-hitter in school history against Chicago State in 2009, started in the Colonels’ 12-8 win over Western Carolina last Tuesday and picked up a no decision, going three innings and allowing three earned runs on seven hits. Littrell, who was the 2010 Louisville Slugger Kentucky High School Player of the Year out of Trinity High in Louisville, received the loss against Charleston on opening day but picked his first career win against Eastern Michigan on Feb. 23.

UK leads the all-time series between the two schools, 66-24-1. The two clubs last met in 2009 when EKU rallied for five runs in the top of the ninth to take an 8-7 lead before Chris Bisson won it for the Wildcats with a walk-off blast in the bottom of the inning. EKU has not beaten UK since 1999, when the Colonels won a 9-8 decision at Turkey Hughes Field.

Following Tuesday’s midweek game, EKU returns to action this weekend when the Colonels host UNC Asheville in a three-game series at Turkey Hughes Field.

Hefler Named to Memphis Baseball Classic All-Tournament Team

Senior right-hander Stephen Hefler was the lone Colonel voted to the Memphis Baseball Classic All-Tournament Team this weekend. Hefler delivered a quality outing against Oral Roberts on Sunday, going 6.2 innings and allowing no earned runs on just four hits in a losing effort.

Hefler has emerged as the ace of the Colonel staff in 2011. The native of Peoria, Ill. is 1-1 this season with a cool 1.00 ERA. He has started three games and worked 18 innings while only surrendering two earned runs and 11 hits.