PREVIEW: Kentucky and EKU to collide in home-and-home matchups

Kentucky and Eastern Kentucky will collide twice this week, with Tuesday’s matchup taking place in Richmond and Wednesday’s matchup in Lexington.

This is the second consecutive season Kentucky and EKU have done this, as the ‘Cats won both games by a combined score of 15-2 in 2024. That second game however was a little close for comfort, as the Colonels took a 2-1 lead into the top of the eighth inning until three Wildcat runs lifted them to a 5-2 win.

These teams are going in opposite directions, as Kentucky has won eight consecutive games and Eastern Kentucky has dropped 11 consecutive. The ‘Cats are outscoring teams 89-21, while the Colonels are being outscored by teams 29-97.

Eastern Kentucky Colonels (0-11, 0-0)

It’s been a disastrous start for the Atlantic-Sun’s Eastern Kentucky, as the Colonels are 0-11 and have yet to score more than four runs in a game this season. They are projected to finish eighth in their conference this season by D1Baseball.

EKU is hitting for an extremely low .188 team batting average, while its pitching staff has a team ERA of 8.64. It’s safe to say this Colonel team may be the worst team Kentucky goes against all season.

It is the first official season of the Mike Jones era in Richmond, as former head coach Chris Prothro stepped away last March due to health issues. Jones has been the acting head coach since then, but was officially given the title last May.

Junior shortstop Diego Alana is their lone offensive player hitting over .300 (.306), and actually leads the team by 77 points. The duo of Alana and senior outfielder Julius Scearce (who attended high school at Frederick Douglass in Lexington and was once a Kentucky Baseball commit) have driven in 12 of EKU’s 26 total runs this season. Scearce is also responsible for three of the Colonels’ six total home runs.

The Colonels’ will likely start freshman right-hander Carson van Haaren in one of two games this week, as he has been one of their most reliable arms this season (7.59 ERA in 10 2/3 innings). van Haaren graduated from Tates Creek last year and was named First Team All-Lexington with a 1.93 ERA in 43 innings.

Kentucky Wildcats (9-1, 0-0)

Eastern Kentucky is one of two mid-major’s left on Kentucky’s schedule before the ‘Cats open SEC play at No. 5 Georgia on March 14. The Colonels are also one of five in-state teams (Murray State, Louisville x2, Western Kentucky, Northern Kentucky) that Kentucky has yet to face in 2025.

Entering this week’s festivities, the ‘Cats boast a team .285 batting average with an impressive 1.95 team ERA. Left fielder Cole Hage leads the team with a .485 average, which is second best in the SEC behind Tennessee’s Gavin Kilen (.486). Look for Nick Mingione however to get players who have been struggling this season going this week against what has been a really bad pitching staff.

Kentucky’s young arms are proving to provide real depth to the Wildcat pitching staff this season.

PREGAME READ: https://t.co/2nLgv1Ar0u pic.twitter.com/cvdfWo42Jg

— Daniel Hager (@DanielHagerKSR) February 28, 2025

Kentucky’s two midweek games will likely serve as another look at freshman starting pitchers right-hander Nate Harris and left-hander Leighton Harris. Nate started his first career game last week against Evansville, where he held the Purple Aces to just three hits and two earned runs over four innings. Leighton’s start went even better, as did not allow a single run while striking out five batters in four innings against Morehead State.

Both freshman pitchers looked great in their collegiate debuts, and these tune-up games serve as valuable opportunities to get some reps. Look for the leash on the duo of Harris’ to be a bit longer on Tuesday and Wednesday.

ALL-TIME SERIES: Kentucky leads 74-27-1

Tuesday, March 4, 2025 (Turkey Hughes Field at Earles Combes Stadium – 6:00 p.m. EST)
UK: RHP Nate Harris (1-0, 4.50 ERA, 4 IP) vs EKU:
Wednesday, March 5, 2025 (Kentucky Proud Park – 4:00 p.m. EST)
UK: LHP Leighton Harris (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 4 IP) vs EKU:

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