RICHMOND, Ky. (Interstat) — Alexander Llinas threw six innings of no-hit baseball, and Cam Pruitt’s two-run triple in the ninth inning sealed Lipscomb’s 9-3 victory over Eastern Kentucky on Friday at Turkey Hughes Field.

Llinas, coming off a win against Austin Peay on April 24 in which he allowed four earned runs over five innings, rebounded with a dominant start. He struck out one and surrendered two earned runs despite not allowing a hit, benefiting from two walks and a pair of defensive miscues. Lipscomb improved to 20-22 overall and 10-10 in the ASUN, while Eastern Kentucky fell to 10-35 and 4-16.

Lipscomb wasted little time establishing control. In the top of the first, Hutson Miles singled, stole third base and scored on a groundout by Jordan Thomas. The Bisons added two more runs in the second inning on an error and an RBI single by Miles, building a 3-0 lead.

Eastern Kentucky answered in the bottom of the second. Bryson Littlefield walked and moved to third on a single by Ethan Shaffer. Jackson Cauthron drove in Littlefield with a single, and a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly by Colton Shevey pushed across the second run, cutting the deficit to 3-2.

Lipscomb regained momentum in the third when Thomas launched his eighth home run of the season to right field. The Bisons broke the game open in the fourth inning. After a hit-by-pitch and a single, a bunt attempt resulted in an error that loaded the bases. Thomas was hit by a pitch to force in a run, and a wild pitch scored Miles. Damion Kenealy Jr. followed with an RBI single, giving Lipscomb a 7-2 advantage.

Llinas worked out of trouble in the fifth and sixth innings, stranding a runner at second base in the sixth. He exited after six innings, having thrown 89 pitches. Adam Jamison relieved and struck out three over three innings, allowing one earned run on one hit.

Lipscomb added insurance in the top of the ninth against reliever Johnny Bingham. Miles singled and stole second, and Pruitt delivered a two-run triple down the right-field line to make it 9-2.

Eastern Kentucky’s Cauthron homered to right field in the bottom of the ninth, his third of the season, but Jamison retired the final two batters.

Pruitt finished 2 for 4 with two RBIs. Miles went 4 for 5 with an RBI and scored three times. Thomas drove in three runs. For Eastern Kentucky, Cauthron was 2 for 4 with a home run and two RBIs. Clay Cartledge pitched 3⅓ scoreless innings in relief, allowing four hits and striking out one.

The game featured 12 hits for Lipscomb and six for Eastern Kentucky. The Colonels used five pitchers, with starter Cade Schneider taking the loss after allowing two earned runs over 2⅔ innings.

The turn of events in the top of the fourth inning proved pivotal. With runners on first and second and nobody out, a sacrifice bunt attempt turned into a throwing error that loaded the bases, setting the stage for a four-run outburst that put Lipscomb ahead comfortably.

Interstat’s game simulator projected a final score of Lipscomb 5, Eastern Kentucky 2, and Interstat’s ELO system gave Lipscomb a 65.30 percent probability to win.