Box Score I Play-by-Play

RICHMOND, Ky. – Junior Matt Phipps connected on a two-out, two-strike walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to send the surging Eastern Kentucky University baseball team past Marshall, 6-4, on Wednesday afternoon at Turkey Hughes Field.

With the game tied 4-4 heading into the bottom of the ninth, junior Austin Grisham started the rally with a one-out single into left field. After senior Jacob Daniel popped up to second base for the second out of the inning, Phipps, who was inserted into the game as a defensive substitute at third base in the top of the sixth, took two consecutive strikes before blasting the third pitch he saw over the wall in left field to win the game. It was only Phipps’ second home run of the season. His first home run of the season came at Marshall on April 25.

With the thrilling win, EKU (26-20) has swept Marshall in three games this season. The Colonels have now also won four straight and nine of their last 10 games as they head into this weekend’s pivotal Ohio Valley Conference series with Tennessee Tech riding a wave of momentum. The loss, meanwhile, drops Marshall to 15-32 on the season.

Freshman right-hander Cody Creamer started on the mound for EKU and pitched two scoreless innings, but it was senior left-hander Greg Terry (2-3) who earned the win as he held the Thundering Herd scoreless over the final three frames to become the pitcher of record on Phipps’ home run.

Right-hander Josh King (2-3) surrendered Phipps’ home run in the bottom of the ninth to receive the loss for Marshall.

Grisham, again, paced the EKU offense, going 3-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored. Seniors Richie Rodriguez, #A.J. Jamison and Dustin Dunlop# all collected two hits apiece in the win.

Eric Escobedo led Marshall at the plate, driving in a game-high three runs in the contest.

EKU jumped out to a quick 4-0 in the game. Jamison delivered a two-out, two-run double in the bottom of the first, before freshman John Wilson doubled home Dunlop and Grisham singled home Wilson in the bottom of the second.

Marshall, however, got one run back in the top of the third, before Escobedo smashed a bases-clearing double into the gap in left center in the top of the of the fifth to tie the score at 4-4.

The game remained knotted until Phipps’ heroics in the bottom of the ninth.

It was EKU’s fourth walk-off win of the season.

EKU returns to action this weekend when the Colonels host TTU in a three-game set at Turkey Hughes Field.