Live Broadcast (ESPN+):  Game 1  |  Game 2  |  Game 3
Live Stats  |  Game Notes  |  Tickets

RICHMOND, Ky. – Having won 11 of its last 14 games Eastern Kentucky host new ASUN Conference rival Bellarmine for a three-game series this weekend.
 
Friday's series opener will begin at 5 p.m.  Game two is scheduled for Saturday at 2 p.m.  The series finale is set for Sunday at 1 p.m.
 
Friday will be Spirit Day at the ballpark.  Fans can meet and take pictures with the EKU cheerleaders, dance team and mascot from 4:30 p.m. through the fifth inning.  Foul Ball Trade In returns on Saturday.  Fans can trade in foul balls for a chance to spin the EKU Prize Wheel.  Bark in the Park, originally scheduled for Saturday will now be on April 15.  Sunday includes Kids Day, a post game autograph session and the first of three trading card giveaways.  Kids 12 and under will receive FREE admission and get the chance to run the bases after the game.
 
For all games this season, each time the Colonels score in the first or second inning fans receive $1 off at the concession stand.  Hot chocolate will be available at the concession stand on Friday and new for 2022 for each game are beer sales, family/friends special and specialty items. 
 
Tickets can be purchased at EKUSports.com/2022BaseballTix or call 844-3-GOBIGE.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
-  The Colonels are 14-5-1 all-time against Bellarmine.  The two teams played one game last season with EKU earning a 3-2 victory in Richmond on May 11.
 
-  Kendal Ewell went 2-for-4 in that game.  Charlie Ludwick had a double, a walk, a run and an RBI.  Max Williams drove in a run as well.  Bryce Travis started on the mound and allowed one hit over two and one-third scoreless innings.  He struck out two.  Jordan Fox pitched two-thirds of an inning in relief and struck out one.  Will Brian pitched a spotless ninth inning with two strikeouts on his way to his eighth save of the season.
 
THE COLONELS
-  EKU is 14-8 overall and 2-1 in ASUN games.  The Colonels have won four straight weekend series, including taking two out of three on the road last weekend against North Alabama.
 
-  Eastern Kentucky has won six straight home games and 11 of its last 14 overall.
 
-  Two players had three hits each in the Colonels' midweek, 6-2, victory over Northern Kentucky on Tuesday.  Will King went 3-for-3 with a walk, a run and an RBI.  Michael Goehrig was 3-for-4 with an RBI.
 
-  In his last six games, King is hitting .444 with two doubles, two home runs, five walks and 10 RBIs.  He is slugging .889 and has an on-base percentage of .583 during that time.
 
-  Third baseman Conner Davis leads EKU with a .303 batting average.
 
-  Michael Schuler will get the ball for game one, Rese Brown is scheduled to start game two and Rian Yates will start game three against Bellarmine.  Schuler is 2-1 with a 5.19 ERA on the season.  The sophomore right-hander struck out six in five and two-thirds innings and earned the win last weekend at North Alabama.  Brown is 2-2 with a 5.66 ERA.  He allowed three runs on five hits and struck out five at UNA.  Yates is 0-2 with a 4.50 ERA and allowed two runs in four and two-thirds innings at North Alabama.
 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
-  Bellarmine is 3-17 overall this season, but earned a win over Central Arkansas in the first ASUN series of the season.  The Knights have lost four times by one run, including to No. 5 Virginia (1-0) in the season-opener and at Kentucky (3-2).
 
-  Bellarmine won the series opener against UCA 4-2.  Left fielder Matt Higgins went 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI.
 
-  Davis Crane leads the team with a .333 average.  Higgins leads the team in runs (23), RBIs (18) and home runs (5) while batting .316.
 
-  As a team, the Knights are hitting .253 while their opponents have a .287 average.  Bellarmine has committed 10 more errors than their opponents (29-19).
 
-  Devin Ecklar leads the team with nine appearances and has Bellarmine's only save of the season.  He has a 1-3 record and a 9.88 ERA over 13 and two-thirds innings, allowing 16 runs on 19 hits and striking out 12.
 
-  Nolan Pender is scheduled to start the opener.  The junior righty is 1-3 with a 5.52 ERA and 22 strikeouts over 29 and one-third innings.  He earned the win against Central Arkansas after allowing two runs on 10 hits, walking one and striking out seven over eight innings.  Gavin Braunecker, a sophomore left-hander, will start game two.  He is 0-2 with a 4.67 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 27 innings of work.  The starter for game three has not been determined.