Box Score I Play-by-Play

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – The Eastern Kentucky University baseball team fell to host East Tennessee State, 8-3, in its season opener on Friday afternoon. It was the first-ever game played at the Buccaneers’ new baseball facility, Thomas Stadium.

Sophomore Bryan Soloman collected two doubles for EKU (0-1), while senior Michael Garcia and junior Shaun Ball both hit solo home runs in the losing effort.

Matthew Scruggs batted 2-for-3 with a home run, two RBI and three runs scored to pace ETSU (1-0). Scruggs batted 3-for-3 with a home run against the Colonels at Turkey Hughes Field last year.

Junior right-hander Chase Greene (0-1) was the Colonels’ Opening Day starter, but he only got through 2.2 innings, allowing three runs on three hits while walking five batters to pick up the loss. Sophomore right-hander Brent Cobb, however, pitched two scoreless innings of relief late in the game, and junior right-hander Austin Rexroat retired the Buccaneers in order in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Right-hander John Long (1-0) earned the win for ETSU, pitching six strong innings and surrendering just two runs on four hits.

EKU threatened in the top of the second inning. Leading off the frame, Soloman just missed going yard in his first at-bat of the season as he belted a ball into right-center that hit the top of the wall for a double. The next batter, junior Justin Trent, was hit by a pitch to put two men aboard with no outs. The next three Colonels struck out, however, to abruptly halt the rally.

After ETSU plated three runs over the next two innings, Soloman struck again when he laced another double down the left field line with one out in the top of the fourth inning and then scored on a single to left center by junior Austin Grisham to put EKU on the board.

The Buccaneers got two runs more off senior reliever Lincoln Wagner in their half of the fourth to make it 5-1, though, and the Colonels never got closer than three the rest of the way.

Ball recorded EKU’s first home run of the season when he crushed a solo shot over the wall in right field with one out in the sixth inning. Garcia’s home run came with two outs in the top of the ninth inning.

EKU has now dropped four straight season openers.

EKU will try to win the series tomorrow, though, as the Colonels will play a double-header beginning at 11:00 a.m. (and no game on Sunday) to avoid inclement weather moving into the area late on Saturday.