Eastern Kentucky University’s baseball team pulled off an impressive comeback, scoring four runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to beat No. 15 Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) 8-7 and clinch the ASUN Conference series in the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday.
The Colonels won the series opener on Friday 17-6, handing the first-place Eagles two back-to-back losses. FGCU entered the weekend with only two conference losses all season. However, the Eagles bounced back in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader, winning 23-7.
In the first game, EKU trailed 7-4 entering the bottom of the ninth inning. Charlie Ludwick started the rally with a solo home run, followed by a single, a walk, and a ground-rule double that scored another run. With runners on second and third and no outs, FGCU closer LJ McDonough struck out the next batter and got a pop-up for the second out. Logan Thomason’s perfect dribbler down the third base line allowed Jalen Jones to score and tie the game. Miguel Larreal’s ground ball in the hole at second brought home DJ Sullivan for the walk-off win.
FGCU had taken a commanding lead, scoring five runs in the first inning and going ahead 7-2 in the sixth. Santiago Peralta’s RBI single and Thomason’s run-scoring double helped the Colonels cut the deficit to three runs (7-4).
Thomason and Larreal contributed three hits each, with Thomason driving in three runs and scoring once. Ludwick went 2-for-4 with a walk, a run, and two RBIs, while Sullivan scored twice and finished 2-for-5.
The Eagles scored four runs in the first inning and hit five home runs in the second game of the doubleheader, cruising to victory. Ludwick hit a two-run home run, and Roderick Criss II finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored for the Colonels (15-20, 6-9 ASUN). Jones also had a two-run home run, going 1-for-1 with two walks, a run, and two RBIs.
Mac Moise led FGCU (27-9, 11-4 ASUN) with two home runs and five RBIs.
EKU will host Marshall on Tuesday at 4 p.m.
