RICHMOND, Ky. -- Eastern Kentucky University's baseball team gets back into Ohio Valley Conference play this weekend at Turkey Hughes Field when the Colonels host Austin Peay for a twinbill Saturday and the Govs for a single game on Sunday.

EKU comes into the doubleheader with a 9-13-1 overall record and 2-4 OVC mark, while APSU is 13-15 overall and 5-4 in league play.

"We're going into this weekend looking for consistency, " said EKU head coach Jim Ward. "We didn't hit last weekend against Southeast Missouri and then come back and get six and 11 runs in the Louisville games."

Ward indicated he would go with the rotation of lefthanders Keith Jones and Corey Eagle on Saturday and come back with righthander Eric Bess on Sunday. Jones stands 2-2 on the year with a 3.52 E.R.A., while Eagle is 0-3 with a 6.21 E.R.A. and Bess is 3-3 with a 7.55 E.R.A.

Junior rightfielder Sean Murray heads a group of five Colonels hitting more than .300 with his .383 average. He also has contributed to the Colonels' offense with four home runs and 12 runs batted in.

Other Colonels at the top of the hitting chart includes sophomore designated hitter Matt Mason (.365), sophomore leftfielder Brad Sizemore (.351), sophomore shortstop Jason Sharp (.347) and sophomore second baseman Adam Basil (.303). Mason is tied for the club lead in homers with four and leads the team in runs batted in with 20. Sharp has also hit four home runs, as has sophomore first baseman Lee Chapman.

Senior righthanded reliever Joe Witten is leading the Colonels in E.R.A. with his 1.83 mark and 2-2 record with two saves. Sophomore righthander Shawn Thacker, who is making a comeback from arm surgery, is 2-1 with a 9.60 earned run average.

"We're bringing Shawn along with a few more pitches each time he goes out. He could appear in the conference rotation soon as he continues to gain velocity, " Ward said.

Other Colonel starters and their batting averages include, Chapman, .271; junior catcher Joe Smith, .232; senior centerfielder Jeff Wellman, .188; and junior third baseman J.D. Bussell, .183.

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