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MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Three freshmen had hits in their first collegiate at bats, two seniors combined for four hits and five RBIs and another senior tossed six-plus innings of shutout ball as Eastern Kentucky beat Alabama State, 8-2, in both team's season opener on Friday.

The victory marked the first time the Colonels have started a season with a win since beating Long Island 8-1 to start the 2007 campaign.

Freshmen Ben Fisher, Cole Warrenfeltz and Justin Cessna each recorded hits the first time the came to the plate as collegiate baseball players. Seniors Sean Hagen and Bryan Soloman combined to go 4-for-7 with four runs, five RBIs, two home runs and a walk.

Senior Brent Cobb picked up where he left off last season. The right hander shutout ASU for six and one-third innings, allowing five hits, walking three and striking out three batters. Cobb led EKU last season with eight quality starts, he already has one this season.

Soloman got the Colonels on the board when he led off the top of the second inning with a home run over the left field fence. Later in the inning, Fisher doubled to left center in his first career collegiate at bat.

Eastern pushed across three more in the second inning. Warrenfeltz started the inning with a single up the middle in his first trip to the plate. With the bases loaded and no outs, Hagen doubled down the left field line to score Kyle Nowlin and Warrenfeltz. Soloman followed with a sacrifice fly to score Doug Teegarden and give the visitors a 4-0 lead.

Fisher added a pair of runs to the EKU total with a one-out, bases loaded double to center in the eighth. Hagen hit a solo home run with two outs in the ninth. After Cessna doubled as a pinch hitter in his first collegiate at bat, sophomore Luke Wurzelbacher capped the scoring for Eastern Kentucky with a single to center.

Alabama State plated one run in the eighth and one in the ninth, both off EKU errors.

T.J. Renda suffered the loss for Alabama State. He gave up four runs on six hits while walking one and striking out seven in five and two-thirds innings.

Fisher finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Warrenfeltz also went 2-for-4 and scored a run. Cessna was 1-for-1 with a run scored. Hagen had three hits in five at bats, scored twice and drove in three. Soloman was 1-for-2 with two runs, two RBIs and a walk.

Eastern Kentucky totaled 12 hits, but struck out 11 times.

Junior newcomer Logan Hershenow allowed one hit and two unearned runs in two and two-thirds innings of relief work. He walked one and struck out two.

EKU and Alabama State continue their three-game series on Saturday. Game two is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. ET.