Box Score

RICHMOND, Ky. – Mandy Alvarez's two-run double in the bottom of the eighth sent EKU to an 8-7 win over Eastern Illinois on Saturday at Turkey Hughes Field.  With the win, the Colonels sweep the three-game Ohio Valley Conference series.
 
With two outs in the eighth, Cole Warrenfeltz kept the inning alive with a single to right.  Shea Sullivan followed with a double down the right field line.  Those two scored when Alvarez drove a 2-0 pitch into left field, turning a 7-6 deficit into a one-run lead.
 
Taylor Blair (1-2), who had come on to pitch in the eighth, retired the side in order in the top of the ninth to seal the victory.  Blair allowed just one base runner.  In one and two-thirds innings he did not allow a hit and surrendered just one walk.
 
EKU (20-25, 10-11 OVC) has won three of its last four conference series.
 
Alvarez finished 3-for-4 with a walk, two runs and two RBIs.  Ben Fisher also had three hits in four at bats and drove in three runs.  Kyle Nowlin was 1-for-2 with three walks, two runs scored and two RBIs.
 
Eastern Illinois took a 4-3 lead in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Cale Hennemann and an RBI double by Mitch Gasbarro.
 
A three-run seventh inning swung the lead back in favor of the Colonels.  Blair's run-scoring double to right field tied the game 4-4.  Fisher followed with a two-run single up the middle to put Eastern Kentucky in front 6-4.
 
The Panthers answered with three in the top of the eighth.  Frankie Perrone capped the inning with a two-run double to left that gave EIU a 7-6 advantage.
 
Mitch Gasbarro had four hits in five at bats for Eastern Illinois (7-36, 2-19 OVC).  He scored twice and drove in one run.
 
EKU will play at Kentucky on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.