Box Score I Play-by-Play

RICHMOND, Ky. – Jeremy Shay’s two-run home run in the top of the sixth inning proved to be the difference as visiting Bowling Green State defeated the Eastern Kentucky University baseball team, 8-4, on Sunday afternoon in this weekend’s decisive series finale at Turkey Hughes Field.

EKU (7-11) led 2-1 entering the top of the sixth, but Brandon Howard reached on an error to lead off the inning and then Shay blasted his first home run of the series over the wall in center field to give BGSU (7-12) a lead it would not surrender.

The Falcons added two insurance runs in the top of the seventh before the Colonels attempted a comeback in the home half of the seventh. Junior Austin Grisham started the rally by reaching on an error and then advancing third on a base hit by senior Richie Rodriguez. The next batter, senior Jacob Daniel, nearly tied the game with a home run to left field that barely went foul, and instead settled for a sacrifice fly that plated Grisham and made it 5-3. After Rodriguez advanced to second on a wild pitch, sophomore Bryan Soloman ripped a double into left field that scored Rodriguez and made it a one-run game, 5-4.

Following a scoreless eighth, however, BGSU plated three runs in the top of the ninth to grab some breathing room. EKU attempted another comeback in the bottom of the ninth, loading the bases with two outs in the inning, but junior Justin Trent missed on a potential game-tying grand slam with a fly out to deep left field that ended the game.

Junior left-hander Shane Grimm (1-4) picked up the loss despite an effective start in which he went five innings and allowed just one earned run on five hits.

Right-hander Jason Link (2-0) came on in relief in the bottom of the fourth for BGSU and earned the win, working the next 2.2 innings and surrendering just one earned run on one hit.

Soloman paced EKU offensively, batting 2-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored. Rodriguez, meanwhile, finished the day 2-for-5 with a run scored.

Logan Walker went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored for BGSU, while Andrew Kubuski batted 3-for-4 with an RBI.

EKU returns to action this week as the Colonels play a home-and-home series with Indiana. First pitch on Tuesday at Turkey Hughes Field is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.