BOX SCORE
PLAY-BY-PLAY
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The Eastern Kentucky University baseball team picked up its fourth straight win on Wednesday afternoon as the Colonels defeated North Carolina A&T, 4-1, at World War Memorial Stadium. Junior southpaw
Paul Duncan (1-0) picked up the win in his first start of the season.
Duncan pitched 2.1 scoreless innings in his debut and allowed only three hits. The Colonel bullpen also pitched effectively, limiting the Aggies to just three hits over the final 6.2 innings. Junior
Ryne Purcell threw a scoreless ninth to earn his fourth save of the season.
Brent Moore (0-1) received the loss for the Aggies despite pitching a solid 6.2 innings and surrendering just two runs on seven hits.
Junior
Ryan Faidley continued to swing a hot bat for the Colonels as he went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI. Fellow junior
Jayson Langfels also continued to hit well, as he compiled two hits, including an RBI triple in the top of the ninth that gave EKU some breathing room.
Marquis Riley picked up two hits for A&T while Xavier Macklin drove in the Aggies’ only run of the game with a solo shot to center in the seventh.
The Colonels put together a two-out rally in the top of the second as Faidley scored sophomore
Jacob Daniel from second with a single to left. Faidley then swiped second and scored on a base hit to right center from freshman
Matt Phipps, making the score 2-0.
The Aggies pulled to within one in the bottom of the seventh when Macklin took an 0-2 fastball from reliever
Greg Terry and crushed it over the center field wall, a solo shot that made it 2-1.
A&T stayed within one run until EKU rallied for two in the ninth. Faidley singled to lead off the inning and then went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Phipps. After sophomore
Richie Rodriguez singled him to third, Faidley scored on a wild pitch that also advanced Rodriguez to third. Rodriguez soon scored on a triple to right center by Langfels that made it 4-1.
After winning zero true non-conference road games last season, the Colonels have already won six this season.
EKU returns to action Friday, March 12, when they face High Point at 6:00 p.m.