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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Sitting in a first place tie in the ASUN West Division, the Eastern Kentucky baseball team will make the short trip to play a three-game conference series at Bellarmine this weekend.
 
Friday and Saturday's games are scheduled to begin at 2 p.m.  The series finale is set for Sunday at 1 p.m.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
-  The Colonels are 17-5-1 all-time against Bellarmine.  EKU swept the Knights in three games in Richmond earlier this season.
 
-  As a team, Eastern Kentucky hit .330 in the first series between the two teams, led by Kendal Ewell with a .750 batting average and seven RBIs.  The Knights had a .224 average in the series, struck out 29 times and walked just nine times.  On the mound, Rese Brown pitched seven shutout innings, allowed just two hits and struck out 10 in game two of the series.
 
THE COLONELS
-  Eastern Kentucky is 27-14 overall and 12-6 in ASUN games.  The Colonels won six in a row before falling at Northern Kentucky on Wednesday.
 
-  The Colonels have nine road wins so far this season.  They had five total during the 2021 season.
 
-  Will King hit two home runs and finished 3-for-3 with a walk, two runs and three RBIs against NKU.  In his last 10 games, King is hitting .325 with five home runs, 15 RBIs and nine runs scored.
 
-  Anthony Vargas has made six straight appearances out of the bullpen without allowing a run.
 
-  When Will Brian recorded the final out of the game against Morehead State on Tuesday, he broke EKU's single season record for saves with his 13th.  Ryne Purcell (2010) and Joe Witten (1995) held the record of 12 saves in a season.
 
-  Rese Brown, who is 4-3 with a 3.94 ERA, is scheduled to start Friday's game.  The sophomore righty has struck out 56 in 45 and two-thirds innings.  Rian Yates, a sophomore right-hander, will get the ball for game two.  He is 0-2 with a 4.35 ERA.  Niko Leontarakis, a senior right-hander, will take the mound for game three.  He is 5-1 with a 7.43 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 40 innings of work.
 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
-  Bellarmine is 9-31 this season and 6-12 in ASUN Conference games.  After a conference sweep of North Alabama the Knights have gone 1-2 against Jacksonville State and Central Arkansas.  On Wednesday, Bellarmine picked up a 16-8 non-conference win against Austin Peay.
 
-  Left fielder Matt Higgins leads the team in average (.359), runs (48), doubles (15), home runs (17) and RBIs (52).
 
-  As a team, Bellarmine is batting .269 and its opponents are hitting .293.
 
-  The Knights have committed 18 more errors than their opponents.
 
-  Left-hander Nick Parrish leads the team with two saves and is 1-0 with a 3.37 ERA over 13 appearances.
 
-  Drew Buhr will start the opener.  The junior right-hander is 0-3 with a 5.53 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 40 and two-thirds innings.  Nolan Pender, a junior righty, will start game two.  He is 3-6 with a 4.97 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 63 and one-third innings.  Sophomore left-hander Gavin Braunecker will start game three.  He is 2-5 with a 4.81 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 58 innings.