Box Score
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Box Score

RICHMOND, Ky. – The lead changed hands four times, and each team came back to tie the game on four occasions, but Eastern Kentucky held on for a 9-8 victory over Southern Illinois Edwardsville to tie the Ohio Valley Conference series 1-1.
 
Eastern (18-21, 8-9 OVC) broke the final tie in the bottom half of the eighth.  Bryan Soloman led off the inning with a single to left.  Justin Cessna came in to run and advanced to second on a wild pitch.  Freshman Ben Fisher's single up the middle pushed in what proved to be the game-winning run.
 
Anthony Bazzani came in to close it out in the ninth and struck out the first batter he faced.  SIUE's Chase Green then singled up the middle and Alex Saikal followed with an infield single to get the go-ahead run on base.  However, Bazzani induced Skyler Geissinger to ground into a game-ending 4-6-3 double play.
 
Fisher finished 4-for-5 with four RBIs and two runs scored.  Soloman also went 4-for-5, scored twice and drove in one.
 
Much like they did during Thursday's series opener, the Colonels jumped out in front early.  With the bases loaded and one out in the first, Fisher singled through the right side to plate a pair of runners. 
 
The Cougars (13-23, 10-10 OVC) answered in the top of the third.  Nick Lombardo drove in the team's first run on a ground ball to the shortstop.  Denton Reed followed with a single through the right side that brought home the tying run.  SIUE grabbed a 3-2 lead on an RBI double to left by Devin Caldwell in the fourth.  Another run scored on a double play ball.
 
EKU tied it in the bottom of the fifth.  Sean Hagen got the rally started with a one-out single up the middle.  Fisher followed with an infield single.  After a ground out moved the runners to scoring position, freshman Taylor Blair drove a ball through the left side to bring in both runners and knot the game at 4-4.
 
The advantage swung to SIU Edwardsville in the top of the seventh when a run scored on a sacrifice fly by Green and another came home on a wild pitch.  The Colonels came right back and answered in the bottom half of the inning.  Soloman led off the inning with his team-leading eighth home run of the season.  Hagen followed with a single to left and then scored the tying run on Fisher's double to center.  TJ Alas made it back-to-back doubles and gave Eastern the lead with a two-bagger to right center.  Luke Wurzelbacher drove in the final run with a sacrifice bunt, giving the home squad an 8-6 lead.
 
The Cougars didn't fold and tied it for the fourth and final time in the eighth.  A ground out by Brian Sipe scored one.  Austin Verschoore's single to right tied it 8-8.
 
Five players had two hits each for SIU Edwardsville, including a 2-for-4 game from Verschoore.  He scored twice and drove in one.
 
Bazzani earned his fifth save of the season.  EKU starter Brent Cobb tied his career high with seven strike outs but allowed six runs in six and one-third innings.  Only four of the runs were earned.  The senior gave up nine hits but did not walk a batter. 
 
The rubber game of the series will begin at 1 p.m. on Saturday.