Box Score I Play-by-Play

RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University baseball team scored seven runs in the bottom of the first inning and then cruised the rest of the way in a convincing 12-1 win over Ohio on Tuesday afternoon at Turkey Hughes Field. It was the Colonels’ first non-conference game in nearly a month.

The win improves EKU’s record to 18-19 and it sends the Colonels into a pivotal Ohio Valley Conference series at in-state rival Morehead State this weekend on a high note. The loss drops Ohio to 22-18 on the season.

EKU’s first four batters of the game hit for the cycle, as senior Richie Rodriguez led off the bottom of the first with his team-leading 12th home run of the season, junior Austin Grisham followed that up with a double, senior Jacob Daniel scored Grisham with a triple and sophomore Bryan Soloman plated Daniel with a single.

The next batter, senior #A.J. Jamison#, kept the rally going with a triple of his own, scoring Soloman. After senior Michael Garcia walked to put runners on the corners, senior Dustin Dunlop struck out looking for the first out of the inning. Junior Alex Hughes, however, then looped a base hit into right-center field, scoring Jamison and advancing Garcia to third. Sophomore Steve Ferraro concluded the big inning with an RBI groundout to third base that plated Garcia and made it 7-0.

EKU, which pounded out a season-high 18 hits in the win, never looked back.

It was a true staff day, as the Colonels used nine pitchers during the game. Freshman right-hander Cody Creamer (1-1) started on the hill and picked up his first collegiate win as he tossed a scoreless top of the first. Seniors left-hander Greg Terry, senior right-hander Lincoln Wagner, junior right-handers Anthony Bazzani, Chase Greene and Austin Rexroat, sophomore right-hander Blake Bottoms, freshman left-hander Nick Bozman and freshman right-hander Ben Gullo all also pitched effective innings, limiting Ohio to just six hits on the afternoon.

Right-hander Shane Dedig (1-2) received the loss for Ohio, as he surrendered seven runs on six hits without even making it out of the first inning.

Every Colonel position starter record a hit in the game, but it was Soloman who led the way offensively. Soloman led off the bottom of the second with a solo home run and then hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth to finish the day 3-for-5 with four RBI and three runs scored.

Rodriguez, Hughes and Ferraro all drove in two runs apiece in the game.

Ethan Newton paced Ohio offensively, batting 2-for-5 and scoring the Bobcats’ only run.

EKU will now face Marshall on Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. The Colonels defeated Marshall, 10-3, behind nine doubles on March 27 at Turkey Hughes Field.