RICHMOND, Ky. – Riding a 3-game winning streak, EKU will start the ASUN Conference game at home on Friday against in-state rival Bellarmine.
The schedules of the games on Friday and Saturday have been changed. Friday’s series opener is now scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Game 2 of the series will be Saturday at 2 p.m. The series finale is scheduled for Sunday at 1 p.m. The first two games of the series will air live on ESPN+.
Fans can get an exclusive green cup at the concession stand with the purchase of a drink on Friday. Baseball Bingo also returns on Friday, with the top three winners taking home mini EKU baseball bats. Saturday is the first EKU sticker draw of the season. Sunday will be Children’s Day and Sandlot Day. All kids 12 and under receive FREE admission and run the bases after the game. Fans of all ages will enjoy a classic baseball movie during their game day experience.
THE COLONELS
– EKU swept Presbyterian in a 3-game home series over the weekend, improving to 7-9 on the season.
– Coronel’s pitching staff limited PC to five runs in three games. EKU posted a 1.08 ERA, allowing just 14 hits and striking out 19 batters in 25 innings.
– Gardener Roderick Criss II he hit .700 (7-for-10) in the 3-game sweep of Presbyterian. He scored four runs, hit two home runs, had three RBIs, two stolen bases and a 1.300 slugging percentage.
– The Colonels are sixth nationally with an average of 1.12 double plays converted per game.
– brown cattle will start on Friday. The junior right-hander is 1-1 with a 3.79 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 19 innings. First year student Nathan Lawson he will make his second start on Saturday. The right-hander is 1-0 with a 0.90 ERA in four relief appearances and one start in 10 innings. The titleholder for the series finale has not been determined.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
– Bellarmine is 5-12 this season. The Knights began 2023 with four straight wins, but have since gone 1-12, including 10 straight losses.
– Casey Sorg, a sophomore who plays right field, pitches and serves as designated hitter, leads the team with a .359 average and is tied for the team lead with three home runs. He also has nine runs and 10 RBI. On the mound, Sorg has made three appearances and two starts, pitching with a 3.00 ERA in three innings of work. Senior second baseman Peyton Back leads the team with 13 RBI, is tied for the team lead with 11 runs, and is hitting .279.
– Bellarmine’s pitching staff has a 7.50 ERA and is allowing opponents to hit .313.
– Nolan Pender will get the ball for the first game. The junior right-hander is 2-1 with a 1.73 ERA this season. In 26 innings over four starts, he allowed just five earned runs and struck out 27. Drew Buhr, a senior right-hander with a 1-2 record and a 7.20 ERA, will start Game 2. He has struck out 24 in 20 innings. The series finale goes to Gavin Braunecker, a junior lefty with a 9.45 ERA and 0-3 record.
INSIDE THE SERIES
– EKU leads the all-time series 19-6-1. The Colonels have won six of the last seven meetings between the two teams in the past two seasons. EKU swept the Knights in Richmond last season and won two of three in Louisville.
– The Colonels won the last meeting 4-3 in 10 innings on May 1, 2022 in Louisville. matthew corlew he drove in what turned out to be the winning run with a two-out single to right-center field in the top of the 10th.
