Parking Map For Friday Game

RICHMOND, Ky. – Eastern Kentucky University will play its final home games of the 2023 season this weekend with a key three-game series against Liberty.
 
With two weekends remaining in the regular season, the Colonels and Flames are among a group of seven tightly bunched teams in contention for the final four spots in the 2023 ASUN Tournament.
 
Friday's series opener is has been moved to 8 p.m.  Game two of the series will be Saturday at 6 p.m.  The series finale is scheduled for Sunday at 1 p.m.  Games two and three of the series will air live on ESPN+.
 
Due to EKU Commencement ceremonies taking place in Alumni Coliseum throughout the day on Friday, parking limitations are expected in the AC parking lot.  Alternative parking options for fans attending the baseball game will be available in the Commonwealth Parking Lot, Moberly Parking Lot, and the Van Hoose Parking Lot (see attached map).  Normal parking options in the Alumni Coliseum lot will return for the games on Saturday and Sunday.  Please call the EKU Ticket Office at 859-622-2122 should you have any questions.
 
The final Baseball Bingo of the season will be on Friday, with the first three winners taking home EKU baseball mini bats.  Saturday will be Fan Appreciation Day, Presented By Richmond Centre Chick-Fil-A.  Discounted tickets will be offered for fans and there will be a prize give away after each inning.  The fourth and final trading card give away is also scheduled for Saturday. 
 
Sunday will be Senior Day and Kids Day.  EKU's eight seniors – Roderick Criss II, Michael Goehrig, Jalen Jones, Charlie Ludwick, Michael Schuler, Logan Thomason, Anthony Vargas and Chris Hamann – will be honored before the game.  All kids 12 and under receive FREE admission and get to run the bases after the game.
 
THE COLONELS
-  EKU is 26-24 overall and 13-11 in ASUN games.  The Colonels have won seven straight games and have scored 10 or more runs in all seven.  EKU is tied for fifth place with Jacksonville and Austin Peay.  Those three teams are one game in front of Kennesaw State, Liberty and Central Arkansas.  North Florida sits one game behind those three.
 
-  During the current seven-game winning streak, EKU is hitting .368 with a .655 team slugging percentage and a .461 on-base percentage.  The Colonels are averaging 13 runs per game during the streak.
 
-  EKU is second in the ASUN and is 31st in the nation with 80 home runs.  The Colonels have hit at least one home run in 11 straight games and have hit 44 in the last 20 games.
 
-  In his last six games, Roderick Criss II is batting .522 with nine runs, two doubles, two home runs and 11 RBIs.  He is slugging .870 and has a .556 on-base percentage.
 
-  Sophomore left-hander Isaac Milburn will make his sixth straight Friday start.  He is 4-3 with a 5.30 ERA over 56 innings.  In his last three starts, Milburn is 2-0 with a 1.83 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 19 and two-thirds innings.  Junior newcomer Luke Reed is scheduled to start game two of the series.  The right-hander is 2-2 with a 4.86 ERA.  Michael Schuler, a senior righty, will start the finale.  He is 3-1 with a 6.51 ERA and only 18 walks in 47 innings.  Schuler has a 1.80 ERA over his last four appearances, allowing four earned runs and five walks while striking out 23 in 20 innings of work.
 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
-  Liberty is 22-26 overall and tied with two teams for eighth place in the ASUN.  Despite their record, the Flames have the second-highest NCAA RPI in the conference at No. 69.  Liberty won two of three at home against fourth place Jacksonville State this past weekend, picking up both wins by run-rule.  LU has not won a conference road series this season.
 
-  First baseman Brayden Horton leads the team with a .325 batting average, is second on the team in home runs (5) and third in RBIs (32).  Cam Foster has a team-best 10 home runs and 34 RBIs while batting .270.
 
-  Liberty is ninth in the ASUN with 5.55 walks allowed per nine innings.  EKU leads the ASUN in walks drawn.
 
-  The LU pitching staff has a 5.41 ERA and has held opponents to a .255 batting average.  Opponents have pitched to a 5.14 ERA against Liberty.  The Flames have a .254 team batting average.

-  Garrett Horn, a sophomore left-hander, is scheduled to start game one of the series for the Flames.  He is 4-4 with a 3.86 ERA and 66 strikeouts in 53 and two-thirds innings.  Fellow sophomore lefty Trey Cooper will start game two.  He is 2-2 with a 4.44 ERA over 24 and one-third innings.  Mikey Tepper will get the ball for game three.  The junior right-hander is 3-3 with a 4.86 ERA and has struck out 61 in 53 and two-thirds innings.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
-  Liberty has a 2-1 edge in the all-time series.  The two teams played twice in 1988, but then did not meet each other again until May 27, 2022 in the semifinals of the ASUN Tournament.
 
-  The Colonels grabbed a 3-0 lead in the second inning against the Flames in last year's tourney, but Liberty rallied pulled away for an 18-9 win.  Will King went 4-for-4 with a home run, three runs scored and one RBI.  Jones had three hits and three RBIs.  The duo of Three Hiller and Logan Mathieu combined to go 6-for-9 with three home runs, seven runs scored and nine RBIs for Liberty.