RICHMOND, Ky. -- Eastern Kentucky University's baseball Colonels will try and solidify their spot in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament field this weekend when the league-leading Eastern Illinois University Panthers come to Turkey Hughes Field for a doubleheader Saturday at 1:00 p.m. and for a 1:00 p.m. single game Sunday.

Eastern Kentucky, 20-25-1 overall, comes into the game in a tie for fifth place with Morehead State, while Eastern Illinois is 33-12 overall and 16-4 inside league play, good enough for first place. The top six teams in the final OVC standings qualify for the OVC's post-season tourney which begins next weekend.

"It goes without saying that this an important weekend, " said EKU head coach Jim Ward. "Eastern Illinois is the best team in the conference. They are ranked very high in league stats in both pitching and hitting which means they're a very balanced team.

"We'll probably have to practice inside Thursday and Friday which hurts our preparation but there is nothing we can do about that. I think our guys want to go to the tournament and I expect us to play hard."

Junior rightfielder Sean Murray leads the way for EKU with his .404 batting average, followed closely by sophomore designated hitter Matt Mason at .394. Murray has 13 home runs and 39 RBI's, while Mason has hit 14 long balls and has driven in 56 runs.

Rounding out .300 hitters for the Colonels are sophomore shortstop Jason Sharp (.348), sophomore leftfielder Brad Sizemore (.337), sophomore first baseman Lee Chapman (.336), junior third baseman J.D. Bussell (.313), junior catcher Joe Smith (.302) and sophomore second baseman Adam Basil (.301).

EKU will go with junior righthander Eric Bess (7-4, 6.57 ERA) and sophomore lefthander Corey Eagle (2-5, 6.49) on Saturday. Sunday's starter is yet to be determined.

Eastern Kentucky closes regular season play Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. when Western Kentucky comes calling for a nine-inning single game.

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