DELAND, Fla. – Eastern Kentucky University will open play at the 2023 ASUN Tournament on Tuesday against host Stetson.
 
First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.  All tournament games will be played at Melching Field at Conrad Park and air live on ESPN+.
 
EKU is the No. 6 seed in Pool B with No. 5 Stetson, No. 7 Jacksonville State and No. 8 Austin Peay.  The winner of Pool B will advance to the ASUN semifinals on Saturday.  As part of pool play, the Colonels will face Austin Peay on Wednesday and Jacksonville State on Thursday.
 
THE COLONELS
-  EKU is 28-28 overall and finished tied for seventh in the ASUN with a 15-15 mark.  In last year's ASUN Tournament, the Colonels beat North Florida, Jacksonville State and Jacksonville to win Pool B.
 
-  Catcher Will King has a 13-game hitting streak going.  During that time he has hit .415 with three doubles, five home runs, 20 RBIs, 16 runs scored, 11 walks and only six strikeouts.  He is slugging .755 and has a .523 on-base percentage.
 
-  EKU and Southern Illinois are tied for the most double plays turned in the NCAA this season with 57.  Logan Thomason is first in the ASUN in double plays turned (42).  He has the fewest errors among  ASUN shortstops with 200 or more chances.  King leads all ASUN catchers, throwing out 42 percent of runners who have attempted to steal.
 
-  EKU is third in the ASUN and 40th in the nation with 86 home runs.  The Colonels are fourth in the ASUN with 396 runs scored this season.
 
-  Isaac Milburn will get the ball for game one of the tournament.  The sophomore lefty is 4-3 this season with a 6.02 ERA.  In 61 and one-third innings, he has struck out 59 and walked 36.
 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
-  Stetson finished the regular season 33-22 overall and 20-10 in the ASUN.  The Hatters finished tied for second in the league standings, but are the No. 5 seed based on their No. 129 RPI.   Stetson won four of its final five ASUN series, including sweeps of Central Arkansas and Liberty and series wins over Jacksonville and Queens.
 
-  Stetson is second in the ASUN in runs scored (399).  The pitching staff leads the conference in strikeouts (509), and has allowed the third fewest hits and third fewest walks.
 
-  First baseman Landon Moran leads the team with a .318 batting average and has a team-high 46 runs scored.  Catcher Christian Pregent has hit a team-best 11 home runs and is tied for the team lead with 41 RBIs.
 
-  Nick Guzzi has been the most reliable arm out of the pen.  The sophomore right-hander is 2-0 with a 4.12 ERA over 17 appearances.  In 19 and two-thirds innings, he has struck out 26 and walked 14.

-  Austin Amaral will start for Stetson.  The junior right-handed pitcher is 7-3 this season with a 3.27 ERA.  In 14 starts, he has tossed 71 and two-thirds innings with 77 strikeouts and 37 walks.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
-  Stetson leads the all-time series 3-0.
 
-  The two teams met for a three-game series in DeLand during the 2000 season.  The Hatters picked up two 1-run wins and a 2-run victory in the series.