Box Score

RICHMOND, Ky. – Freshman AJ Groeneveld hit his first collegiate home run, but Eastern Kentucky University lost 15-3 in eight innings to visiting Rhode Island on Friday at Earle Combs Stadium.
 
With the Colonels trailing 7-1 in the bottom of the seventh, Groeneveld stepped to the plate with a runner on and no outs.  He drove a 1-1 pitch over the wall in right field for a 2-run dinger that closed the gap to four.
 
The Rams (5-8) scored eight times in the eighth to enact the run-rule.  Eric Genther drove in two with a single to center.  Anthony DePino platted a pair with a double to center field.
 
EKU (0-13) scratched out the first run of the game in the bottom of the first.  With runners on second and third, Diego Alana hit a sacrifice fly to right field for a 1-0 lead.  Rhode Island tied it in the top of the second on Genther's RBI triple to left center.
 
URI scored five times in the fifth to move in front 6-1. 
 
Groeneveld finished 1-for-3 with a run and two RBIs.
 
Genther went 3-for-5 with a run and four RBIs for the Rams.  Jeremy Urena started and held the Colonels to three runs on five hits and three walks in seven innings of work.  He struck out three.
 
The second game of the series will be Saturday at 7 p.m.  FREE EKU beanies will be given to the first 100 fans at the game on Saturday.