Box Score

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Max Williams had three hits and scored three runs, and the bullpen did not allow an earned run over the final five innings as Eastern Kentucky beat North Florida 5-3 on Tuesday at the ASUN Conference Tournament.
 
No. 6 seed EKU will play No. 8 seed Jacksonville State on Wednesday as Pool B play continues.  The two teams will meet at JetBlue Park at 12:30 p.m.  The ASUN Tournament consists of two pools of four teams each.  Teams will play three games – one each against each team in its pool.  After pool play, the top three teams from Pool A and the top team from Pool B will advance to the single elimination semifinals on Friday.
 
The Colonels moved to 36-19 on the season.  It's the most wins in a season for an Eastern Kentucky team since the 1990 team won 42 games.
 
Both teams pushed in a run on sacrifice flies in the first inning.  Will King's fly ball to left scored Max Williams to tie it in the bottom half.
 
Eastern Kentucky grabbed the lead in the bottom of the fifth.  Williams started the inning with a single to right.  Logan Thomason drew a 1-out walk.  King drove in his second runner of the game with a single to center.  Conner Davis capped it with a single to left to plate Thomason and make it a 3-1 game.
 
The Colonels built a cushion with two runs in the bottom of the sixth.  Jalen Jones started the inning with a single up the middle.  Williams followed with a single to right center to put runners at the corners.  A sacrifice fly off the bat of Ewell brought home Jones.  Thomason then doubled off the wall in left center to score Williams and make it 5-1.
 
The Ospreys platted two unearned runs in the top of the seventh to close the gap back to two.
 
Anthony Vargas retired the side in order on 11 pitches, with two strikeouts, in the top of the eighth.  Will Brian allowed a leadoff double in the top of the ninth before getting a line out and two strikeouts to end the game and earn his 15th save of the season.
 
Freshman Isaac Milburn started and held North Florida to one run on two hits over four innings.  Vladimir Ceverino (2-0) pitched a scoreless fifth inning and earned the win.  Bryce Travis pitched two innings in relief, allowed two unearned runs on two hits, and struck out one.
 
Williams finished 3-for-5 with three runs scored.  Jones was 2-for-4 with a run.  King had one hit in three at bats, walked once and drove in two.  Thomason had a 2-for-4 day with a run and an RBI.
 
Justin Holmes was 2-for-3 with a run for North Florida (21-33).