Eastern Kentucky University’s baseball team capped off a successful midweek series against Marshall University with a hard-fought 2-1 victory on Wednesday in Huntington, West Virginia, securing a sweep after their commanding 12-5 win in Richmond the previous day.
EKU (14-31) wasted no time asserting their dominance, with Ron Franklin Jr. extending his hitting streak to 12 straight games in the top of the third inning, driving in an RBI double to left center to give the Colonels an early 1-0 lead. The Colonels further solidified their advantage in the fourth inning, as Tait Nunnally’s triple paved the way for another run, extending EKU’s lead to 2-0.
Despite a late surge from Marshall (13-31), with Tre Hondras narrowing the deficit to 2-1 with a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning, EKU’s resilient defense held firm, securing the victory with a tense final inning.
In the bottom of the ninth, with one on and one out, Marshall threatened with a single to left field by Cam Harthan. However, Kebler Peralta’s overzealous baserunning resulted in a critical out, and despite an intentional walk, reliever Garrett Langrell managed to induce a ground ball to end the game, clinching the win for EKU.
Freshman pitcher Elijah Underhill (2-2) delivered a standout performance on the mound, turning in the best outing of his young career. The Hopkinsville, Kentucky native showcased his potential, allowing just two hits in a career-high three innings while striking out a career-best four batters and walking just one, without conceding a run.
Junior Isaac Milburn followed suit with an impressive pitching display, tossing 3 2/3 innings without allowing a run, and Langrell sealed the victory with his fourth save of the season after pitching the ninth inning.
Offensively, seven different Colonels contributed with one hit each, with Franklin, Nunnally, and Silas Shaffer each delivering crucial performances at the plate. Franklin finished 1-for-4 with an RBI, while Nunnally and Shaffer also made impactful contributions to secure the victory.
Marshall’s offensive efforts were led by Harthan, who went 3-for-5 with three hits, showcasing his prowess at the plate despite the team’s narrow defeat.
With the midweek sweep of Marshall in the books, EKU turns its attention to a crucial three-game series against Bellarmine this weekend, with Friday’s series opener scheduled for 6 p.m. As the Colonels aim to maintain their winning momentum, they will look to build upon their recent successes and continue their pursuit of victory on the diamond.
