Box Score

CINCINATTI, Ohio – Alex Holderbach hit a school record four home runs and drove in eight runs as Eastern Kentucky defeated Xavier, 12-8, on Wednesday.
 
In five trips to the plate, Holderbach hit four home runs and walked once.  He hit a two-run dinger in the first inning, walked in the fourth, hit another two-run shot in the fifth, launched a three-run bomb in the seventh and finished off the game with a solo homer in the ninth.
 
Holderbach broke the program record of three which has been done on eight occasions by five different players.  The junior catcher from Fairfield, Ohio finished 4-for-4 with five runs scored and eight RBIs.
 
In the top of the first the Colonels struck first when Holderbach hit home run number one to bring in Will Johnson for a 2-0 lead.  Xavier responded with a run of its own when Chris Given scored on a wild pitch in the bottom half of the inning.
 
In the fourth, Brandon DeHass drove a 2-0 pitch to right center for an RBI double that brought in Holderbach.  Chris Botsoe also scored on an error by the center fielder.  Dehass scored on a wild pitch later in the inning for a 5-1 Eastern advantage.
 
In the top half of the fifth inning Holderbach delivered a 3-1 pitch to left center for home run number two on the day.  That brought in Ryland Kerr and pushed the Colonel lead to 7-1.
 
Chris Botsoe sent his fifth home run of the year over the right field wall in top of the sixth.
 
In the eighth inning, EKU (22-20, 12-6 OVC) got the three-run home run by Holderbach to go in front 11-2 and pull away from the Musketeers.
 
Matt Warkentin started the scoring in a five-run bottom of the eighth for Xavier with an RBI single to left field to bring home Blaine Griffiths.  Given cut into the EKU lead even more with a grand slam to left field to make the score 11-7 heading to the top of the ninth.
 
That is when Holderbach delivered his fourth home run of the game, as he sent a 2-2 pitch over the left field wall to take a 12-7 lead.
 
Botsoe went 4-for-5 with one home run and two runs scored.  Johnson pitched in a 2-for-4 effort with two runs as well.  Kaven Brown (3-2) tossed six innings, struck out six batters while only allowing one run.
 
Given went 3-for-5, with four RBIs, and two runs scored.
 
Eastern Kentucky remains on the road this weekend when the Colonels travel to Oxford, Alabama to take on Jacksonville State for a three-game series.  First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday.