Box Score (pdf)

RICHMOND, Ky. – Trailing 4-3, Eastern Kentucky University scored five times in the seventh inning to come back for an 8-4 victory over Illinois State on Saturday at Earle Combs Stadium.
 
With the win, the Colonels even the series at 1-1.  The series finale is Sunday at 12 p.m. ET.  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.
 
Ricco Longo began the seventh inning rally with an infield single.  A sacrifice bunt moved the tying run into scoring position.  Pedro Moreno doubled to put runners on second and third with one out before Jay Douglas tied it with a single through the right side.
 
With runners at the corners, Illinois State (8-6) committed a costly throwing error on a ground ball to second.  Both runners came home to break the 4-4 tie.  Later in the inning, with two outs and a runner on third, Khaleel Pratt was hit by a pitch.  Pratt then stole second base.  Pinch hitter Silas Shaffer sent a single up the middle, driving in two more runs and putting his team ahead 8-4.
 
Griffin Howell came in to pitch at the start of the eighth inning.  He retired the three batters he faced in the eighth on fly balls and the first batter in the ninth on a ground out.  The Redbirds attempted a late rally with back-to-back singles, but Howell struck out the final two batters to get the save.
 
Longo finished 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI.  Shaffer was 1-for-2 with two RBIs.  Gavin Faulkner (2-1) earned the win after pitching 1 1/3 innings of spotless relief.  He did not allow a hit, did not walk a batter and struck out three of the four batters he faced.
 
Graham Mastros had a 3-for-3 game with a run scored for Illinois State.
 
The Colonels (4-11) got on the board in the bottom of the first with a sacrifice fly from Dylan Littlefield.  EKU went in front 2-1 on a sacrifice fly from Moreno in the bottom of the second. 
 
A 2-run home run from Brayden Bakes in the third and an RBI on a fielder's choice from Josh Outlaw in the fourth allowed ISU to build a 4-2 lead.  Longo's ground out in the bottom half of the third scored Jackson Cauthron and made it a 1-run game again.