Live Stats I OVC Standings

RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University baseball team will travel to in-state and Ohio Valley Conference rival Morehead State this weekend to face the Eagles at Allen Field in a three-game series between the two third-place teams in the league.

The crucial three-game set will get underway on Friday at 5:00 p.m., continue on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. and wrap up on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.

EKU (19-19, 9-6 OVC) dropped two-of-three games to OVC leader Austin Peay last weekend at home, but the Colonels responded this week by crushing Ohio, 12-1, on Tuesday and Marshall, 12-4, on Wednesday in their first non-conference contests in nearly a month. EKU pounded out 14 extra-base hits for a .744 slugging percentage in those two games, and the Colonels enter this weekend as one of the top home run-hitting teams in the country with 53 long balls.

In Tuesday’s win over Ohio, senior Richie Rodriguez started his 200th consecutive game at shortstop for EKU, and the wily veteran leads the Colonels into this weekend’s pivotal series with a .372 batting average and 12 home runs. He is backed by a veteran lineup, featuring the likes of seniors #A.J. Jamison# (.324 batting average, 10 doubles) and Jacob Daniel (.296 batting average and a team-best 37 RBI), junior Austin Grisham (.329 batting average and a team-best nine stolen bases) and sophomore Bryan Soloman (.275 batting average, 10 home runs and a team-best 13 doubles).

MSU (24-16, 9-6 OVC) was picked to finished last in the conference before the season began, but the Eagles have surprised. MSU has won four straight OVC series, including taking two-of-three games at Eastern Illinois last weekend. The Eagles come into the weekend batting above .300 as a team. Andrew Deeds leads the way with a .416 batting average, while Chase Greenwell is batting .357 with a team-best 13 doubles.

EKU will shake up its rotation a little this weekend, as the Colonels send senior right-hander Matt Harris (4-4, 5.59 ERA) to the hill on Friday, senior right-hander Matt Fyffe (5-0, 2.02 ERA) on Saturday and junior left-hander Shane Grimm (4-4, 3.76 ERA) in the series finale on Sunday. Fyffe, who will be making his first start of the season, has been EKU’s best arm out of the bullpen this season, compiling a pristine 5-0 record and a 2.02 ERA in 35.2 innings of work.

MSU will respond with right-hander Aaron Goe (4-4, 4.65 ERA) on Friday and left-hander Noah Smallwood (3-2, 4.82 ERA) on Saturday. The Eagles’ game three starter has not yet been determined.

EKU swept MSU in a three-game set at Turkey Hughes Field last year. Daniel blasted a walk-off solo home run in game one to galvanize the Colonels to the sweep. MSU, however, swept EKU two years ago at Allen Field, so the home team has held a distinct advantage in this rivalry over the last few years.

The storied rivalry is nearing its 200th game. The Colonels currently lead the all-time series, 105-88-1.