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

JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – Four Eastern Kentucky University pitchers stifled Jacksonville State to just three runs in 17.1 innings of play on Saturday afternoon at Rudy Abbott Field as the Colonels split an Ohio Valley Conference doubleheader with the Gamecocks, winning game one, 4-1, before dropping game two in extra innings, 2-1.

With the split, EKU (20-30, 11-12 OVC) has now won five of its last six conference games in a late season push to qualify for the OVC Tournament. The Colonels, who entered Saturday in sixth place in the conference, face a need-to-win situation in tomorrow’s series finale to enhance their chances of making the six-team tournament.

Senior right-hander Stephen Hefler (7-4) continued to marvel with another impressive start in game one, going 6.1 innings and allowing just one run on five hits to earn the win. The Peoria, Ill. native has now gone five straight starts, all more than six innings, without allowing more than three runs.

Right-hander Aaron Elias (6-3) picked up the loss for JSU (29-21, 10-9 OVC), working 5.1 innings and allowing three runs on eight hits.

Junior Richie Rodriguez paced the Colonel offense in game one, batting 3-for-5 with a run scored, while freshman Bryan Soloman batted 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Jake Sharrock went 2-for-4 at the plate to lead JSU.

With Hefler dealing on the mound, the EKU offense was opportunistic in the game one victory, as none of the Colonels’ four runs were a product of their 10 hits. EKU got on the board in the top of the second when freshman Steve Ferraro scored Soloman with a sacrifice fly to deep left, added another in the top of the third when Soloman scored Rodriguez with a groundout to short, another in the top of the fifth when junior Dustin Dunlop drew a bases loaded walk that plated junior Jacob Daniel and then made it 4-0 in the top of the seventh when Soloman scampered home on a wild pitch.

JSU scored in the home half of the seventh on a ground rule double to center by Andrew Bishop that plated Scott Underwood, but junior right-hander Matt Fyffe was immediately called from the bullpen and pitched the final 2.2 innings of the game, holding the Gamecocks scoreless to earn his second save of the season.

In game two, Michael Bishop delivered a walk-off base hit with one out in the bottom of the ninth, scoring Ben Waldrip from second and giving JSU, which had lost seven of its last eight games, a much-needed victory.

Junior right-hander Matt Harris started on the hill for EKU and worked seven strong innings, allowing just one run on four hits. Sophomore right-hander Anthony Bazzani (1-8) got the loss, pitching a scoreless bottom of the eighth before allowing Bishop’s RBI single in the bottom of the ninth.

Right-hander Todd Hornsby (4-4) earned the win for JSU as he silenced EKU over the last 4.2 innings of the game, holding the Colonels scoreless while allowing just three singles.

Dunlop collected three hits for EKU in game two while Erik Underwood batted 3-for-3 with an RBI for JSU.

The Colonels struck first as Soloman plated junior #A.J. Jamison# in the top of the first with an RBI groundout, his second of the day. The Gamecocks tied it in the bottom of the fourth, however, when Underwood singled through the right side of the infield to score Blake Seguin.

Neither team scored again until Bishop’s RBI single up the middle in the bottom of the ninth.

EKU will face JSU tomorrow in the series finale at 2:00 p.m. EST.