RICHMOND, Ky. – After a 14-game road swing to open the season, Eastern Kentucky University softball returns home to host the 2024 Colonel Classic from March 1-3 at Gertrude Hood Field.
EKU welcomes Ball State, Canisius, and Purdue Fort Wayne to the tournament, the Colonels will play each team in the field at least once beginning on Friday afternoon.
The Colonels will open the classic with Canisius on Friday at 12:30 p.m. and end the first day with Purdue Fort Wayne at 5:30 p.m. Friday's games will also be streamed live on ESPN+.
On Saturday, EKU will open its day with Purdue Fort Wayne at 3 p.m. and conclude with Ball State at 5:30 p.m., both games will feature in-game softball bingo with prizes.
To wrap up the classic, EKU will face Canisius on Sunday at 11 a.m. for Kids Day at the ballpark.
Fans can purchase tickets for all five of EKU's games in the Colonel Classic at the link
here or walk-ups at the stadium for just $5.
As a reminder, animals without a leash are not permitted inside Gertrude Hood Field general admission seating area, while leashed animals will only be permitted in the outfield areas this weekend. Service animals are excluded from all restrictions set forth by the university.
EKU (10-4) is coming off a 1-4 showing at the Utah Tech Tournament last weekend, before the Colonels' time in Utah, EKU was 9-0 for the first time in program history capturing both the Wofford Invite and the South Alabama Invite.
Through 14 games, freshman infielder
Kennedy Drafton leads the squad with a .469 batting average going 15-of-32 from the plate with seven walks and two HBPs.
In the circle, freshman two-way player
Maddi Rutan leads the club with a 5-2 overall record and a 1.71 ERA in 41.0 innings pitched. Rutan leads EKU with 35 strikeouts while throwing one perfect game and a one-hit complete game shutout.
Colonel batters
Jaelin Haynes (.395),
Madison Scott (.382),
Jasmine Miller (.375), and
Jeanay Riley (.362) sport above .350 batting averages while seven of EKU's nine traditional starters are batting above .290.
EKU's
Maggie Pertee, ASUN All-Conference last season, is expected to be in the lineup this week after making her first appearance in the field last game against Utah Tech. Pertee is batting .286 with two hits and six runs scored.
EKU has four student-athletes inside the top 25 in the country in statistical categories, Rutan is eighth in the NCAA in shutouts (2) and 20th in triples (2), while Miller is 16th in doubles (6), and catcher
Lilly Davis is 24th in runners caught stealing (4).
The Colonels are set to host their next 11 games at home with the Colonel Classic field, No. 19 Virginia Tech on March 6, and a four-game series against Central Connecticut on March 10-11.
Season tickets and single-game tickets are still available for purchase on the
Colonels' website or by calling the EKU Ticket Office at 859-622-2122.
2024 Colonel Classic Schedule
Friday, March 1
10:00 a.m. Ball State vs.
Canisius
12:30 p.m. Canisius at
EKU
3:00 p.m. Purdue Fort Wayne vs.
Ball State
5:30 p.m. Purdue Fort Wayne at
EKU
Saturday, March 2
10:00 a.m. Canisius vs.
Purdue Fort Wayne
12:30 p.m. Canisius vs.
Ball State
3:00 p.m. Purdue Fort Wayne at
EKU
5:30 p.m. Ball State at
EKU
Sunday, March 3
11:00 a.m. Canisius at
EKU
1:30 p.m. Purdue Fort Wayne vs.
Ball State
Notes
- Home team listed in BOLD
- All times listed in EST and subject to change
- The National Anthem will only be played before first game of each day
