RICHMOND, Ky. – Eastern Kentucky University baseball head coach Chris Prothro is taking a medical leave of absence effective immediately.  In Prothro's absence, assistant coach Walt Jones will oversee the program as the acting head coach.
 
Prothro is in his fourth season as head coach of the Colonels.  Over the last two years (2022-23) he guided the team to 67 wins, which was the winningest two-year period for the program since 1989 and 1990.  During the 2022 season EKU was an Atlantic Sun Conference regular season champion, and advanced out of pool play into the semifinals of the league tournament.  The program qualified for the tournament again in 2023.  Currently, the Colonels are tied for first place in the ASUN with a 5-1 mark in conference play.
 
Jones has served as the program's top assistant coach and recruiting coordinator since arriving with Prothro in the fall of 2020.  Jones was a scouting director for the Prep Baseball Report-Louisiana and national JUCO scouting director for Prep Baseball Report-National from July 2019 to the fall of 2020.   Before his time with Prep Baseball Report, Jones was the recruiting coordinator and associate head coach at Nicholls State University from 2014-19. 
 
The EKU baseball team will play tomorrow afternoon at 4 p.m. against in-state foe Northern Kentucky, and continue conference play this weekend against Stetson beginning on Thursday at 6 p.m.