RICHMOND, Ky. – The 2026 Atlantic Sun Conference schedule begins for the Eastern Kentucky University baseball team this weekend when Central Arkansas visits Earle Combs Stadium for a 3-game series.
 
Friday's series opener will begin at 5 p.m. ET.  Game two is scheduled for Saturday at 1 p.m. ET.  The finale will be Sunday at 12 p.m. ET.  The first and third games of the series will air live on ESPN+.
 
Baseball Bingo is back on Friday, giving fans a chance to win an EKU Swag Bag.  Saturday will be Little League Day with discounted tickets to little league players from the surrounding area.  For National Pie Day (3.14), mini pies will be given away on Saturday.  There will also be an alumni game. 
 
Sunday is Junior Colonel Club Day with members getting into the game for FREE.  Kids have a chance to be the "Play Ball" kid, guest public address announcer and can run the bases after the game.  The Kids Day Combo includes a hot dog, chips and drink for $8.
 
THE COLONELS
-  EKU is 5-12 after dropping its midweek contest at Middle Tennessee on Tuesday.  The Colonels picked up a series win over Illinois State this past weekend.
 
-  Junior newcomer Griffin Howell has made eight appearances this season and has not allowed a run in seven of them.  He has pitched three scoreless innings in his last two appearances, including one inning at No. 21 Kentucky in which he struck out two of the three batters he faced.
 
-  Dylan Littlefield hit his team-leading sixth home run of the season in EKU's 10-6 win over Illinois State on Sunday.
 
-  Shortstop Pedro Moreno leads the team in runs scored (16) and is tied for the team lead with six stolen bases.  The senior is hitting .277 with a .392 on-base percentage.
 
-  Carson van Haaren and Jacob Price have both made four weekend starts this season.  van Haaren, a sophomore righty, is 0-3 with 14 strikeouts in 15 1/3 innings.  Price, a redshirt junior right-hander, is 1-1 with a 3.80 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 23 2/3 innings.
 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
-  Central Arkansas is 10-7 this season.  The Bears picked up a 5-4 win at Vanderbilt before losing a 3-game series at home to Little Rock this past weekend.  UCA knocked off Oral Roberts at home on Tuesday.
 
-  Junior outfielder Zeb Allen leads the team in runs (18) and home runs (5), and is second in average (.343) and RBIs (15).  Jack Runsick, a redshirt sophomore first baseman, has a team-best 19 RBIs while hitting .262 with six doubles and one home run.
 
-  Caide White, a redshirt freshman righty, has made four weekend starts this season.  He is 0-1 with a 3.32 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 21 2/3 innings.  Denver Hamilton has made a start in each of the last three weekend series.  The junior right-hander is 3-0 with a 2.95 ERA and 12 strikeouts in 18 1/3 innings.  JB Williams made a start the first weekend of the season and the most recent weekend.  The junior right-hander is 1-2 with a 3.14 ERA and has 11 strikeouts in 14 1/3 innings.
 
-  Hunter Alexander has made seven appearances out of the bullpen and has four saves.  The senior righty is 1-0 with a 1.35 ERA and has struck out 18 in 13 1/3 innings.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
-  EKU is 8-10 all-time against Central Arkansas.  The Colonels are 3-3 in games played in Richmond, including taking two of three in the most recent series on May 2-4, 2025.
 
-   In the series clinching 9-5 victory on May 4, 2025, Silas Shaffer went 1-for-1 with a run and two RBIs.  Boone Shevey also drove in two runs.