RICHMOND, Ky. -- Still riding the crest of an offensive explosion that has seen the team's batting average rise nearly 40 points, coach Jim Ward's Eastern Kentucky University Colonel baseball team will host the Murray State University Racers Friday for two Ohio Valley Conference games and Saturday for a single contest. Both day's action begins at 1:00 p.m.

Eastern has won eight of its last 10 games to raise the overall record to 16-15-1 and the Colonels stand in a tie for fourth place in the league with a 7-5 OVC record. Murray State, meanwhile, has won two of its last three and stand 10-15 overall and 6-9 in the conference in sixth place.

Ten games ago, Eastern was hitting just .282 as a team, but during this recent string, the Colonels have upped that to an impressive .319 batting average. Tuesday's game with Wright State produced 25 Colonel runs, 22 hits and seven home runs in a 25-13 EKU victory over WSU.

"We have nine tough outs in our lineup, so we fill we have the ability to produce some runs, " said Ward. "We've got to do a better job in the field though because our defensive lapses are putting extra pressure on our pitching staff."

Five Colonels are hitting above the .300 mark, led by junior rightfielder Sean Murray who is hitting .427 with seven home runs and 24 RBI's. Sophomore shortstop Jason Sharp is hitting .376 with six homers and 24 RBI's.

Sophomore designated hitter Matt Mason has put together back-to-back impressive games. He is 7-8 with three home runs and 11 RBI's in his last two contests. He is now hitting .369 on the season with eight homers and 36 runs batted in.

Rounding out the .300 hitters for EKU are sophomore leftfielder Brad Sizemore at .355 and sophomore second baseman Adam Basil at .333. Other Colonel starters and their averages are: sophomore catcher Joe Smith, .283; sophomore first baseman Lee Chapman, .274; junior third baseman J.D. Bussell, .263; and senior centerfielder Jeff Wellman, .237.

EKU will go with the same pitching rotation that pitched last weekend with sophomore lefthander Keith Jones, 2-3, 4.50 E.R.A.; sophomore righthander Shawn Thacker, 3-1, 8.38; and junior righthander Eric Bess, 5-3, 6.63. Senior righthanded reliever Joe Witten leads the team in saves with three and in E.R.A. at 1.85. He stands 3-2 on the season.

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