Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Eastern Kentucky
Eastern Kentucky Downs Baseball, 10-7
3/25/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 25, 2009
RICHMOND, Ky. - Sophomore right fielder Ben Jurevicius finished 3-for-5 with a home run, a double and three RBIs, but a four-run seventh inning lifted Eastern Kentucky to a 10-7 victory over the Thundering Herd in Wednesday afternoon's non-conference baseball game at Turkey Hughes Field.
With the loss, Marshall falls to 10-12 on the season, while Eastern Kentucky moves to 12-7 overall.
Trailing 6-5 in the home half of the seventh inning, Eastern Kentucky struck for four runs, highlighted by an RBI single, an RBI sacrifice fly and a two-run homer to post a 9-6 lead.
Senior pinch-hitter Adam Yeager reached with a two-out walk in the top of the eighth frame before Jurevicius smacked a double to right center field, cutting the deficit to 9-7.
The Colonels got the run back in the bottom of the eighth thanks to a solo shot from Matt Davis, before reliever Chris Hord pitched a scoreless ninth inning with a strikeout to secure his second save of the season.
Eastern Kentucky reliever Eric Sanders earned his first win of the season after pitching a pair of shutout innings while fanning two batters. Sophomore reliever Arik Sikula suffered his first loss of the season and moves to 2-1 on the year.
Marshall jumped out to an early 2-0 inning in the top of the first inning when junior third baseman Josh Valle singled up the middle and advanced to third on a double to right center by senior centerfielder Nate Lape. Sophomore catcher Victor Gomez then singled through the left side to give Marshall a 2-0 lead.
The Herd notched three in the top of the second when second baseman Ramone Tate reached on a fielder's choice and then came full circle when Jurevicius launched his second homer of the season, a two-run shot to center field, making the score 4-0. Valle followed suit, losing a ball over the left field wall and extending the Marshall lead to 5-0.
Eastern Kentucky cut the gap to 5-3 in the bottom of the third on a pair of RBI singles and a sacrifice fly, before Gomez clouted the Herd's third long ball of the game to lead off the Marshall fifth inning. Marshall placed a runner on second when freshman designated hitter Thor Meeks singled up the middle and then moved up 90 feet on a walk to outfielder Eddie Rush, but was stranded there.
The Colonels responded with a two-run fifth frame on the strength of an RBI single and run-scoring groundout, pulling Eastern Kentucky to within one at 6-5.
Jurevicius and Valle finished with three hits and a home run apiece, while Gomez and Jurevicius each drove in three runs. Lape, Meeks, sophomore shortstop Kenny Socorro, and freshman first baseman Alfredo Brito all delivered hits in the losing effort.
Marshall returns to action beginning Friday, March 27-29 when it hosts East Carolina in the Conference USA home opener at Appalachian Power Park in Charleston, W.Va. Friday and Saturday's first-pitch is slated for 6:00 p.m. ET, with Sunday's start set for 1:00 p.m.
