Live Stats: Game one I Game two I Game three

RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University baseball team will continue its season-opening road swing this weekend as the Colonels travel to Spartanburg, S.C. to face USC Upstate in a three game series at Harley Park.

The series kicks off on Friday at 4:00 p.m., followed by games on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. and Sunday at 1:00 p.m. It is the first-ever meeting between EKU and USC Upstate on the baseball diamond.

EKU (2-2) opened the season by taking of two-of-three at East Tennessee State last weekend; however, the Colonels dropped a midweek game at No. 16 Louisville, 7-2, on Wednesday. Junior Austin Grisham leads EKU with a .400 batting average, while senior Michael Garcia has posted a .357 batting average with two home runs and four RBI. As a team, EKU has hit the ball well in the early going. The Colonels are slugging .470 with seven home runs, six doubles and two triples just four games into the season.

The 2012 season marks the first season of full NCAA Division I eligibility for USC Upstate (3-1). The Spartans are off to hot start, as they crushed Furman at home on Wednesday, 17-3, and have scored in double digits in three of their first four games. The Spartans’ only loss of the season came at the hands of Kentucky, 6-0, last weekend. Gaither Bumgardner paces the club with a .556 batting average and 10 RBI.

EKU’s weekend rotation looks like this: senior right-hander Matt Harris (0-0) on Friday, junior right-hander Chase Greene (0-1) on Saturday and junior left-hander Shane Grimm (0-1) on Sunday.

USC Upstate will counter with left-hander David Roseboom (1-0) on Friday, left-hander Scott DeCecco (1-0) on Saturday and right-hander Brandon Lee (0-1) on Sunday.

Following this weekend’s series, EKU will play its home opener next weekend when the Colonels host Indiana State in a three-game set at Turkey Hughes Field.