Colonels will make their second trip to Knoxville to take on the Vols on Tuesday
RICHMOND, Ky. – Eastern Kentucky won the first game of an Ohio Valley Conference doubleheader against Austin Peay on Saturday, and had a 1-0 lead in the ninth inning of game two, but couldn’t hold on and dropped the second game 3-1 in 10 innings.
The Colonels scored twice in the bottom of the first inning of game one and never trailed. Cam Ridley and Daniel Harris IV each scored on a pair of ground balls. Santiago Peralta’s single in the bottom of the fourth drove in Logan Thomason and gave the home team a 4-0 lead.
Garrett Spain homered in the sixth and seventh innings to help the Governors close the game to 4-3.
With a 5-3 edge in the bottom of the eighth, the Colonels used the home run ball to put the game out of reach. Kendal Ewell hit a two-run home run. The next two batters, Charlie Ludwick and Logan Thomason, both hit solo shots to give Eastern back-to-back-to-back dingers. Thomason’s first of the season made it 9-3.
Jake Lewis started for EKU and picked up his first win of the season. He allowed two runs on five hits, walked three and tied his career-best with eight strike outs over five and one-third innings.
Thomason had a 3-for-4 game with two runs and an RBI. Ewell was 1-for-3 with a run and two RBIs. Max Williams also hit a home run in the game and finished 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI.
Spain was 2-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs for Austin Peay.
Game two was a pitching duel from the start. Neither team scored until the bottom of the seventh when Harris gave Eastern Kentucky a 1-0 lead after sending a 1-1 pitch over the wall in left field.
Austin Peay starter Drew McIllwain allowed three hits and one run while striking out seven over six and one-third innings. EKU starter Darren Williams pitched shutout baseball for a career-best eight and one-third innings. He allowed a run in the ninth to tie the game. He walked four and struck out a career-high seven batters.
With one out in the 10th, Spain doubled down the left field line for the Governors (9-16, 6-6 OVC). Two batters later, and with two outs in the inning, Ty DeLancey doubled to left center to break the tie. Tyler Cotto followed with a run scoring single to cap the inning.
Spain went 2-for-4 with a walk and a run in the second game.
The Colonels (9-17, 4-8 OVC) will play at No. 9 Tennessee on Tuesday in Knoxville.
