Box Score

RICHMOND, Ky. – Senior Kyle Nowlin hit two home runs and set a new program record for walks in a season as Eastern Kentucky evened its series against Murray State with an 8-3 win on Saturday at Turkey Hughes Field.
 
Doug Teegarden and Nowlin both hit home runs in a five-run fourth inning that gave control of the game to EKU (24-27, 13-13 OVC).  With one out, Teegarden sent a pitch over the wall in right field for a two-run homer and a 2-0 EKU lead.  Cole Warrenfeltz followed with a single and Luke Wurzelbacher was hit by a pitch.  Two batters later, Nowlin blasted his 18th home run of the season over the wall in straight-away center field.  The three-run shot made it a 5-0 game.
 
That's all Eric Nerl (6-4) would need.  The junior allowed just two runs on three hits over eight innings.  He did not walk a batter and struck out a career-best eight.
 
Nowlin tied the record of 49 walks in a season, set by Adam Basil in 2000, when he drew a walk in the third inning.  He broke the mark with another in the sixth inning.  The Harrison, Ohio native matched his season total from last year with his second home run of the game and 19th of the season in the eighth inning.  His two-run blast sailed over the wall in left field.  He finished 2-for-3 with two walks, two runs and five RBIs.
 
Murray State (24-27, 12-14 OVC) got on the board in the top of the fifth on Jack Hranec's RBI double.  Another run scored on a ground out to get the Racers within three, but that's as close as they would get.  Hranec finished 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI.
 
Warrenfeltz had three hits and scored twice for the Colonels.  Mandy Alvarez was 2-for-4 with a walk and a run scored.
 
The series will conclude on Sunday at 1 p.m.