Box Score

JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – Matt Olive's two-run single in the top of the ninth inning proved to be the game-winning hit as Eastern Kentucky beat Jacksonville State, 7-5, in the series finale on Sunday.
 
EKU (23-26, 12-12 OVC) won the series two games to one, the Colonels first series victory against JSU since 2005.  Eastern has won five of its last six conference series.
 
The Colonels went into the top of the ninth inning trailing 5-3 and facing a reliever that had not allowed an earned run in 19 innings of work this season.  Shea Sullivan singled to start the frame.  Mandy Alvarez followed with a single and Kyle Nowlin walked to load the bases.
 
Sullivan scored on a wild pitch to make it a one-run game.  With two strikes, Olive reached out and punched the ball down the right field line to score Nowlin and Alvarez, and give Eastern Kentucky a 6-5 lead.
 
Ben Fisher's sacrifice fly later in the inning gave the visitors some cushion going into the bottom of the ninth.
 
Nicholas Cumpston, pitching his third inning in relief, retired the first two batters on ground balls to second base.  Kenny Hostrander made a diving stab and tossed to first base for the first out.  After an infield single, Paschal Petrongolo sent a ball 399 feet to dead center.  Shea Sullivan made the catch at the fence to end the game.
 
Olive finished 3-for-4 with a run and three RBIs.  Sullivan also went 3-for-4 and scored twice.  Alvarez had two hits in four at bats and scored twice.
 
Cumpston (3-4) gave up one hit and struck out two in his three innings of scoreless relief.
 
EKU got on the board in the top of the first inning.  After Alvarez was hit by a pitch, Nowlin brought him home with a double to left field.
 
Jacksonville State (29-19, 17-7 OVC) tied it in the second and then took a 3-1 lead in the third on Elliot McCummings' RBI double to right center and Petrongolo's run scoring ground ball.  Gavin Golsan's sacrifice fly in the fourth gave the home team a 4-1 advantage.
 
The Colonels closed a three-run deficit to two twice.  Logan Starnes was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the sixth to draw the visitors to within 4-2.  Olive had a sacrifice fly in the seventh to make it a 5-3 game.
 
EKU will host rival Murray State for a three game series next weekend.  The series opener is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on Friday.