Box Score

MARTIN, Tenn. – Three home runs and six runs in the bottom of the fourth inning doomed Eastern Kentucky in a 20-6 loss at Tennessee Martin on Friday in the Ohio Valley Conference series opener.
 
Logan Starnes went 1-for-3 for Eastern.  Kyle Nowlin had two hits in four at bats.  Mandy Alvarez finished 2-for-5 with a run scored.
 
EKU led 3-2 going into the bottom of the fourth.  Ryan Helgren led off the inning with a solo home run.  Nick Gavello hit a two-run shot.  Austin Taylor capped the inning with a three-run home run over the wall in center field to give the Skyhawks an 8-3 lead.
 
Tennessee-Martin (8-22, 3-10 OVC) put up nine runs in the fifth to put the game out of reach.
 
The Colonels took the lead in the top half of the fourth on a ground ball by Kenny Hostrander that brought home Ben Fisher.  Eastern scored runs in the first and third innings on a pair of UTM errors.
 
Dakota Graham had a two-run double in a 3-run seventh inning for Eastern Kentucky (13-17, 3-7 OVC).
 
Three Skyhawks had three hits each.  Fletcher Johnson went 3-for-6 with three runs and two RBIs.  Gavello finished 3-for-4 with two runs and six RBIs.
 
Game two of the OVC series is scheduled for Saturday at 4 p.m. ET.