RICHMOND, Ky. - Coach Jim Ward's Eastern Kentucky University Colonel baseball team hopes to break into the win column this weekend when it travels to Greenville, SC, for a three-game set with Furman University.

EKU, 0-3 on the season, will play the Paladins in a doubleheader Saturday and a single game Sunday. Both games begin at noon EST.

The Colonels opened the 2000 season last weekend by playing a three-game series at UNC-Wilmington. EKU came up on the short end of the scoreboard on all three occasions, losing 14-9, 6-3 and 11-2 decisions to the Seahawks.

"We didn't get a chance to get a lot of work outside on the field before we opened last Friday and you could tell that with the way we played," said Ward. "I thought we were a little tentative Friday, but started to feel more comfortable at the plate on Saturday.

"We had a few opportunities, but we left some runners on base that could have made a difference. It's probably going to take us three more weeks to get where we want to be," Ward added.

Senior second baseman Adam Basil led Eastern hitters, going 6-12 in the three games with a double and three RBI's. Senior centerfielder Brad Sizemore was 5-12 and senior leftfielder Tom White was 3-9 at the plate.

"I thought our guys did some good things, overall, at the plate. I was especially pleased with the way we made two-strike adjustments," said Ward.

Sophomore Scott Santa was the most impressive starting pitcher, going six innings and allowing just three earned runs, while striking out four and walking just one. Sophomore righthander Nic Lively did well in relief, going five innings of five-hit, two-run baseball.

"We had a controlled intrasquad scrimmage midweek and I was very pleased with what I saw, both on the pitching mound and at the plate. It's just going to take a little while to get things going," Ward added.

Eastern's first home game is an 11:00 a.m. contest with Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Saturday, Mar. 11, in the Comfort Suites Invitational.