Box Score

MURRAY, Ky. – Eastern Kentucky team built a 7-1 lead but couldn't stop a rally by Murray State in a 9-7 loss on Saturday.
 
The Colonels (23-20, 10-10 OVC) turned a 1-0 deficit into a 5-1 lead in the top of the third inning.  Will Johnson led off the inning with his 12th home run of the season.  Nick Howie and A.J. Lewis scored on a pair of Murray State errors before Charlie Ludwick capped the frame with a 2-run home run over the wall in left center.
 
Howie's RBI double to right and a run scoring single from Logan Thomason in the top of the fourth inning put the visitors in front 7-1.
 
The Racers rallied in the bottom of the fifth with six runs.  Four of the runs came with two outs in the inning, including RBI singles by Brock Anderson and Jordan Cozart.  Cozart later scored the tying run on Eastern's third error of the inning.
 
Murray State (18-21, 12-8 OVC) scored the go ahead run in the sixth on another EKU error.
 
Howie finished the day 2-for-5 with two runs and an RBI.  Johnson was 2-for-5 with a run and an RBI.  Cozart went 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI for the Racers.
 
The series finale is set for Sunday at 2 p.m. ET.