BOX SCORE I PLAY-BY-PLAY

RICHMOND, Ky. – Senior right-hander Stephen Hefler pitched six strong innings and junior Jacob Daniel blasted a pair of home runs as the Eastern Kentucky University baseball team cruised past Southeast Missouri, 11-5, for a much-needed conference win at Turkey Hughes Field on Sunday afternoon in the finale of this weekend’s three-game series.

EKU (8-20, 2-4 OVC) blew the game open in the bottom of the sixth, as the Colonels rallied for six runs, all with two outs, to quickly balloon their one-run lead over SEMO (15-12, 3-4 OVC) to a seven-run lead with just three innings to play. With EKU leading just 3-2 heading into the bottom of the sixth, freshman Bryan Soloman – who batted 6-for-11 with six RBI and four runs scored in the weekend series – led off the inning with a double and went to third on a wild pitch, but following consecutive strikeouts, it looked like he might be left stranded. After sophomore Matt Phipps drew a two-out walk, however, head coach Jason Stein inserted freshman Alex Arovits as a pinch-hitter, and Arovits rewarded Stein’s trust with a clutch single up the middle that plated Soloman and made it 4-2.

Arovits’ single triggered a hit parade for the Colonels, as junior Richie Rodriguez then singled home Phipps, junior #A.J. Jamison# singled home Arovits and Daniel capped it all off with a three-run bomb to left – his second home run of the game – to give EKU a 9-2 lead it could hold.

Hefler (3-3) started on the mound for EKU and stifled the powerful SEMO offense, going six innings and surrendering just three runs on nine hits while striking out five batters.

Right-hander Brad LaBruyere (3-1) was saddled with his first loss of the season for SEMO, working five innings and allowing four runs on seven hits.

Daniel finished the day 3-for-4 at the plate with four RBI and two runs scored, while Soloman went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and Rodriguez went 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored.

Jesse Tierney paced the Redhawks’ offense, going 3-for-5 with an RBI, while Brett Russell batted 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI and runs scored.

Hefler found himself in a jam in the top of the first, as two Colonel errors put a pair of men in scoring position with just one out; however, he skillfully got Trenton Moses and Casey Jones to both strike out swinging to get out of it.

With EKU leading 2-0 through two innings, Hefler then received some defensive help as Rodriguez saved at least one run with a diving stop up the middle on a potential game-tying two-run single by Moses that, instead, go the Colonels out of the inning.

In the home half of that inning, Rodriguez followed up his slick fielding with his first home run of the season, a solo blast to left that gave EKU a 3-0 lead.

SEMO added one run in the fourth and then pulled to within one on an RBI single by Blake Slatterly in the top of the sixth; however, EKU exploded for six runs in the bottom of that inning to put the game out of reach.

The Colonels added a couple more in the bottom of the seventh for good measure, as freshman Sean Hagen singled home junior Michael Garcia and sophomore Alex Hughes scored on a balk. Right-handers Matt Harris and Ryne Purcell combined to allow just two runs on two hits over the last three innings of the game.

It is the most runs EKU has scored since the Colonels defeated UNC Asheville, 13-6, on March 13.

EKU returns to action on Tuesday when the Colonels host Marshall at Turkey Hughes Field at 3:00 p.m.