RICHMOND, Ky. - After earning a three-game bye with the No. 2 seed, the Eastern Kentucky University softball team is ready to start their run in the ASUN Softball Championship against Florida Gulf Coast on Thursday morning in Oxford, AL.

The Colonels (36-14, 17-5 ASUN) come into the tournament following a season sweep of Bellarmine that clinched the Gold Division title. The squad secured their first regular season in the ASUN without dropping a conference series.

With a win in the morning, the Colonels would advance to the winner's semifinals to take on the victor of Game 8 on Friday at 1:30 PM ET. A loss sees the Colonels back for a second game on Thursday at 4 PM ET against the loser of Game 6.

First pitch for the Colonels is set for 11 AM ET at Choccolocco Park. Live streaming for the game will be available on ESPN+ and live stats on StatBroadcast.

SCOUTING THE EAGLES

This will be the first meeting this year between the two schools, having been in opposite divisions during conference play. Both teams similarly only met once last season during the conference tournament, where the Eagles got the better of EKU in the Colonels' first game of the tournament, 2-3.

Allison Sparkman is the ace for the Eagles pitching staff, bringing a team-leading 2.32 ERA and leading the team in almost every pitching category, including wins (18), WHIP (1.62), and strikeouts (92). Victoria Ash follows behind Sparkman at a 3.39 ERA and 51 strikeouts with a 9-10 record.

Both Sparkman and Ash made appearances in their last game against UCA with Sparkman totaling 86 pitches in 3.2 innings while Ash recorded 3.1 innings in 49 pitches.

Three Eagles bat above .300 in Olivia Black, Emily Chiarella, and Avery Viancos. Viancos leads the team in RBIs and hits while Black leads in AVG, slugging percentage, and OBP.

LAST TIME OUT

EKU completed the regular season with a 2-0 and a 10-3 win over the Bellarmine Knights, sweeping the season series against their in-state and conference foe.

Maddi Rutan (17-8) pitched a complete game shutout in game one, notching her 17th win of the season on the back of eight strikeouts compared to just three Knight baserunners allowed.

Lauren Narvaez (3-2) picked up the win in a game two that was called early due to bad weather and field conditions.

Rutan was productive in the offensive phase as well in game two, collecting four RBIs on two home runs, including a three-run shot in the fourth inning. Makayla Mathis added two RBIs of her own, one on a bases-loaded walk and the other on a sacrifice fly to deep right field.