GAME ONE: BOX SCORE I PLAY-BY-PLAY

RICHMOND, Ky. The Eastern Kentucky University baseball team fell to UT Martin, 11-2, in game one on Friday at Turkey Hughes Field, and the Colonels were losing game two, 5-2, in the top of the fifth before it was postponed by severe weather. Game two will resume on Saturday at 12:00 p.m. EST, and game three, which will begin shortly after, will now be a seven-inning affair.

In game one, which featured a one-hour and 20-minute rain delay of its own, EKU (14-24, 6-7 OVC) surrendered eight runs to UTM (12-25, 3-7 OVC) in the top of the seventh to quickly see a one-run deficit become a nine-run deficit, and the Colonels never recovered.

Junior right-hander Matt Fyffe (0-5) started on the hill for EKU and got the loss, going four innings and allowing three runs on five hits while striking out five batters. Senior right-hander Chris Hord, junior left-hander Greg Terry and freshman right-hander Brent Cobb all pitched and allowed at least one run in the decisive, rain-delayed, eight-run seventh inning.

Right-hander Dan Tobik (2-6) earned the win for UTM, working six innings and giving up just two runs on four hits.

Junior Jacob Daniel finished the game 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored to pace the EKU offense, while Phil Sorenson batted 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored and Cody Terry drove in three runs to lead UTM.

After an RBI single by Erik Larsen gave the Skyhawks a 3-0 lead in the top of the fourth, the Colonels responded with two runs of their own in the bottom of that inning to pull within one. Junior #A.J. Jamison# led off the frame with a base hit and then scored on a triple to center off the bat of Daniel. The next batter, freshman Bryan Soloman, reached on a fielder’s choice and Daniel scored on a headfirst slide at home to make the score 3-2.

Both teams went scoreless over the next two innings before UTM exploded for eight runs in the top of the seventh to blow the game open. The Skyhawks opened the inning with four singles and a walk and held a 5-2 lead with the bases loaded and no outs when the game was delayed by rain. After the delay, Terry got the first batter he faced, Matt Young, to strike out swinging. However, Trey Karlen then blooped a single into right center and the hit parade was back on again. After the smoke cleared, UTM had scored eight runs on eight hits and had an 11-2 lead. EKU would not score again.

In game two, UTM scored a run in each of the first two innings to take a 2-0 lead, but EKU rallied in the bottom of the fourth to tie it. Sophomore Austin Grisham led off that inning with a single and went to second on a base hit by sophomore Matt Phipps. Junior Richie Rodriguez then scored Grisham with a single through the right side and Jamison plated Phipps with a base hit into right center.

UTM retook the lead in the top of the fifth, though, as Terry scored Young on an RBI groundout to first base, and Wes Patterson scored Karlen and Chase Okey on a two-out, two-run single through the right side of the infield that made it 5-2 before the game was postponed.

Junior right-hander Matt Harris will be facing Larsen with two outs and Patterson on first when the game resumes tomorrow.