Box Score
RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University baseball team's bats came to life in a convincing 21-6 win over Ohio Valley Conference foe UT Martin in the weekend series opener on Friday at Earle Combs Stadium.
After UT Martin (8-13, 2-5 OVC) plated one in the top of the first, EKU (12-10, 1-3 OVC) got two in the home half of the inning on a two-run single by
A.J. Lewis. The Colonels never trailed again.
Eastern plated five runs in the third to take control of the game.
Chris Botsoe brought home a run with a single to left.
Nick Howie scored on a wild pitch. Botsoe scored on an error.
Daniel Harris IV and
Corey Conklin had back-to-back RBI singles. Conklin's knock made it a 7-1 game.
The Skyhawks got two runs back in the top of the fifth. Lewis scored on an error in the top of the fifth, but UT Martin plated another in the sixth to make it an 8-4 game.
The Colonels then blew the game open with nine runs in the bottom of the sixth. Eastern opened the frame with four consecutive singles, the final of which came off the bat of Lewis and scored
Ryland Kerr. After
Charlie Ludwick and Harris IV delivered back-to-back RBI walks, Conklin blasted a two-run double off the center field wall.
Logan Thomason followed that up with a two-run double into the gap in left center. One batter later, Kerr doubled home Thomason. Howie capped the big inning with a single through the left side that plated Kerr and made it 17-4.
UT Martin scored two runs in the seventh, but Conklin responded with his first collegiate home run in the seventh, a solo shot that made it 18-6.
Conklin struck again in the eighth, crushing a bases-clearing double to right center, scoring Ludwick,
Chance Bodine and
Christian Lucio to make it 21-6.
"Our offense showed how dynamic it can be tonight," head coach
Edwin Thompson said. "We're happy to finally break out, especially in a conference game."
Conklin finished the day 4-for-6 with seven RBIs and two runs scored. Kerr went 4-for-6 with four runs scored and an RBI. Lewis was 2-for-3 with three RBIs and three runs scored.
Right-hander
Logan Teague (2-2) started on the mound for EKU and picked up the win, going 5.2 innings and surrendering four runs on eight hits.
Sam Folks (3-1) got the loss for UT Martin, tossing five innings and allowing eight runs on eight hits.
Jordan Stoner, Blake Davis and Creighton Eldridge all drove in runs for the Skyhawks in the game.
"It's important to get this first conference win, especially on a Friday night in front of the home crowd," Thompson added. "We just need to stay focused and go for the series win tomorrow."
EKU and UTM will meet for game two on Saturday at 2 p.m.
