Box Score  |  Saturday Live Stats

RICHMOND, Ky. – Alex Holderbach's two-run single highlighted a three-run first inning that propelled Eastern Kentucky to a 14-4 victory in the series opener against Coppin State on Friday at Earle Combs Stadium.

"Today was a good win on a Friday night against a very good team that has been playing good baseball," EKU Head Coach Edwin Thompson said.  
 
Tyler Romanik got the Colonels (3-6) on the board with a one-out single to right that brought home Ryland Kerr.  Two batters later, Holderbach drove in his fifth and sixth runs of the season with a single to left center.
 
Behind the pitching of starter Aaron Ochsenbein (1-0), Eastern cruised through the fifth inning.  The redshirt junior tossed five shutout innings, allowing just three hits, walking four and striking out a career-best eight batters.
 
EKU added a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth.  Kerr scored again, this time after a triple to lead off the inning.  Logan Stephens made it a 5-0 game with a run-scoring single up the middle.
 
The Eagles (1-5-1) platted four runs in the top of the sixth to get back in the game.  Back-to-back RBI singles by Allen Saar and Caleb Duhay capped the big inning and made it 5-4.
 
Eastern Kentucky put an end to any CSU comeback bid by scoring twice in the bottom of the seventh to pull in front 8-4.  Then added six runs in the eighth to put the game away.
 
Kerr went 4-for-5 with three runs and two RBIs.  He had a single, two doubles and a triple.  Holderbach had four hits in five at bats, scored once and drove in three.  Stephens finished 1-for-1 with a walk, a run and two RBIs.
 
Saar had a 2-for-3 day with an RBI for the Eagles.
 
"Aaron Ochsenbein had another good start to help get us going," said Thompson.  "I thought Nick Laster out of the bullpen was outstanding and got stops when we needed them.  Offensively it was fun to see Ryland Kerr and Alex Holderbach get four hits each and just give us big hits when we needed them.  I thought there was a lot of good at bats.  Logan Stephens off the bench, it was fun to see him get a couple hits and get some RBIs."
 
The two teams will continue their three-game series on Saturday starting at 2 p.m.