Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
RICHMOND, Ky. – Eastern Kentucky swept a doubleheader against Jacksonville State on Saturday. The two teams entered the day tied for first in the ASUN Conference West Division.
EKU (31-15, 16-7 ASUN) reached the 30-win plateau with an 8-3 victory in game one. The Colonels scored late to win game two 5-3.
Two home runs in the first two innings allowed JSU to build a 3-0 lead in the first game. Cole Frederick hit a two-run shot in the first.
The Colonels erased the deficit in the bottom of the fourth.
Charlie Ludwick and
Conner Davis drew back-to-back walks with one out.
Roderick Criss II loaded the bases with a single.
Ron Franklin Jr. followed with a single through the left side to score two runs.
Kendal Ewell singled to shallow center, but the ball got past the fielder and rolled all the way to the wall. All three runners came home and Ewell came all the way around to score as well, swinging the lead to EKU, 6-3.
Eastern Kentucky tacked on two more in the bottom of the seventh, including a run scoring single by
Jalen Jones.
Rese Brown (5-3) started and turned in his third quality start of the season. The sophomore allowed three runs on six hits, walked one and struck out eight over six innings.
Michael Schuler pitched the final three innings, allowed two hits and struck out five for his first save.
Ewell finished 1-for-2 with a run and two RBIs. Franklin was 1-for-4 with a run and four driven in.
Brennen Norton had a 3-for-4 game with a home run, a run and an RBI for Jacksonville State.
In game two,
Max Williams hit solo home runs in the first and third innings to stake the Colonels to an early 2-0 lead. They were his fourth and fifth home runs of the season.
The Gamecocks tied it with two runs in the sixth. Alex Carignan brought home a run with a single up the middle and then scored later in the inning when Norton was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
Williams broke the tie with his third home run of the game, with one out in the bottom of the eighth. He sent a 1-2 pitch sailing over the wall in right. Ewell followed with a walk and
Logan Thomason singled through the left side. A double steal put both in scoring position.
Will King provided much needed insurance with a two-run single up the middle.
Williams finished 3-for-4 with three runs and three RBIs. King was 1-for-4 with his two RBIs.
JSU (21-24, 14-9 ASUN) added a solo home run by TJ Reeves in the top of the ninth. Carignan was 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI for the Gamecocks.
The series finale is set for Sunday at 1 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at EKUSports.com/2022BaseballTix or call 844-3-GOBIGE. Sunday will be Mother's Day and Kids Day at Earle Combs Stadium. All moms can sign in at the marketing table to enter a drawing for an EKU and Raising Cane's gift basket. All kids 12 and under will receive FREE admission and will get to run the bases after the game.
