Eastern Kentucky University will host Bellarmine University for a three-game Atlantic Sun Conference baseball series beginning Friday, April 8. The first game is scheduled for 6 p.m., with Saturday and Sunday games set for 1 p.m. Sunday’s matchup will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
The upcoming series is notable as it features two in-state rivals, with EKU leading the all-time series against Bellarmine, 27-13-1. The Colonels have been particularly successful at home in Richmond, winning 19 of the previous matchups there. However, Bellarmine has won the last three meetings between the teams.
Several fan events are planned during the weekend. Friday will feature Baseball Bingo with an EKU Swag Bag prize. Saturday’s Bark In The Park invites fans to bring their dogs and includes giveaways such as pup cups and frisbees or dog bowl mats. Sunday is Junior Colonel Club Day, offering free admission to club members and opportunities for children to participate as “Play Ball” kid or guest public address announcer; kids can also run the bases after the game.
EKU enters the series with a record of 9-24 overall and a conference mark of 4-8 after a recent loss at Vanderbilt. Shortstop Pedro Moreno leads EKU with a .307 batting average, while Khaleel Pratt was named ASUN Player of the Week following his strong performance last week that included four home runs across four games. On the mound, Bradley Gagen, Jacob Price, and Carson van Haaren have been regular starters for EKU.
Bellarmine holds a record of 13-19 overall and sits at .500 in conference play (6-6). The Knights lead their conference in runs scored this season and rank third in both batting average (.296) and home runs (39). Key players include shortstop Landon Akers—who leads his team in average—and AJ Swader who has hit seven home runs this year.
