Box Score Box Score

CHARLESTON, Ill. – The top four batters in the line-up combined for 11 hits, seven runs and eight RBIs as Eastern Kentucky beat Eastern Illinois, 8-6, in the Ohio Valley Conference series finale on Saturday.
 
Lead-off hitter Cam Ridley was 1-for-4 with a walk, two runs and an RBI.  Number two hitter Kendal Ewell finished 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs.  The third batter, Daniel Harris IV, had a 4-for-5 day with three runs and one driven in.  Clean-up batter Caleb Upshaw drove in four while going 3-for-5 at the plate.
 
The Colonels (10-20, 5-10 OVC) started quickly.  Ewell singled in the first with one out.  Harris followed with a single to right.  Both came home on Upshaw's double down the left field line.
 
EKU doubled its lead in the second with two more.  With two outs and Santiago Peralta on third, Ridley singled up the middle.  A steal got Ridley to second and Ewell's single to left brough him home for a 4-0 lead.
 
Upshaw had a RBI single in the fifth.  Eastern Kentucky scored three runs with two outs and the bases empty in the sixth.  Ridley walked and scored on a double down the left field line by Ewell.  Harris drove in Ewell with a single up the middle.  Upshaw's single through the left side platted Harris.
 
Darren Williams (1-5) started for the Colonels.  He allowed two runs on five hits over six innings.  The redshirt junior struck out seven and walked two.
 
Eastern Illinois (16-14, 7-8 OVC) scored three runs in the eighth to get within three, 8-5.  Dalton Doyle's bases loaded single to left drove in two.  A sacrifice fly by Trey Sweeney in the ninth cut it to two.  EIU got the tying run to second with one out before Will Brian retired the final two batters on a strike out and a pop-up.
 
Christian Pena had a 2-for-4 game with a pair of RBIs for the Panthers.
 
Eastern Kentucky plays at No. 1 Vanderbilt on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.