Eastern Kentucky University’s softball team is set to compete in the GATA Challenge in Statesboro, Georgia, this weekend. The Colonels will play five games, including two each against Georgia Southern and Rhode Island, and one against Tennessee Tech.
The Colonels currently hold a 4-6 record after finishing 2-3 at the Puerto Vallarta Challenge. Their first game of the tournament will be against Rhode Island on February 20 at 12:30 p.m. EST. Rhode Island enters the event with a 1-2 record, having lost its last two games. Eastern Kentucky leads the all-time series against Rhode Island 4-1, with their most recent win being a 10-3 victory on February 19, 2023.
Later on February 20, EKU will face Georgia Southern at 5:30 p.m. Georgia Southern holds a 3-7 record and has lost its last five games. The teams last met on February 20, 2015, when EKU won by a score of 6-3. Georgia Southern pitcher Alana Bernard was named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Team; she has an individual season record of 0-5 with 27 innings pitched, recording 18 strikeouts but allowing nine home runs.
On Saturday, EKU will play Tennessee Tech at 10 a.m. The Colonels have won their last twelve matchups against Tennessee Tech’s Eagles, most recently securing a 6-3 victory in 2021 during which assistant coach Smmi Miller went two-for-four with two RBIs and one run scored. Tennessee Tech currently stands at a season record of 1-7; their only win came against Queens with an eight-to-two result.
Following that matchup, Eastern Kentucky will play Georgia Southern for a second time at 12:30 p.m., and then close out the weekend facing Rhode Island again on Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m.
Both games versus Georgia Southern are scheduled for broadcast on ESPN+, while live play-by-play coverage for every game will be provided via StatBroadcast.
