SUNDAY’S GAME

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Interstat) — Eastern Kentucky visits Bellarmine on Sunday for an afternoon matchup at Knights Field, with the Colonels (16-37) looking to complete a three-game road sweep against the Knights (19-33).

The teams split the first two games of the series, with Eastern Kentucky winning 11-3 on Friday and 16-11 on Thursday. Bellarmine took three of four from the Colonels in a series in April, winning 11-9, 14-10 and 10-5 before Eastern Kentucky salvaged a 16-11 victory.

Eastern Kentucky enters having won two straight after dropping six of its previous seven. The Colonels posted a 16-6 win at Northern Kentucky on April 28 but lost three of four against Lipscomb and were swept in a doubleheader at Austin Peay before the current series.

Bellarmine has lost four of its last five, including a 14-7 defeat at Louisville on Tuesday. The Knights dropped two of three at Lipscomb earlier this month but swept a three-game series at North Alabama on May 1-3.

Players to watch

Eastern Kentucky right-hander Jack Briese has been dominant against Bellarmine this season. In Friday’s win, he threw five innings of one-hit ball, allowing one earned run with two strikeouts. Over his last four appearances, Briese has a 2.13 ERA in 11 innings, with 10 hits allowed and eight strikeouts. He also tossed three scoreless innings in a 16-6 win at Northern Kentucky on April 28.

Bellarmine left-hander Nikau Heeney started Friday’s loss, allowing four hits and three earned runs over 4.1 innings with one strikeout. He has struggled recently, surrendering four earned runs in one-third of an inning at Louisville on May 12. Heeney pitched two scoreless innings in a 15-8 win at North Alabama on May 2, but overall in May he has a 12.27 ERA over 7.1 innings.

Series history

The teams have played 10 times since April 2025, with Bellarmine holding a 6-4 edge. The Knights won three of five at home earlier this season before Eastern Kentucky’s wins this weekend.

Eastern Kentucky’s offense has been productive in the series, scoring 11 or more runs in three of the last four meetings. Outfielder David Alvarez went 4 for 4 with a home run and three RBIs in Friday’s win, and center fielder Khaleel Pratt added two hits, including a homer, and three RBIs.

Bellarmine’s Eli Watson has been a bright spot, going 3 for 4 with two RBIs in Friday’s loss.

Sunday’s game is the final regular-season meeting between the teams. Eastern Kentucky is seeking its first three-game winning streak since taking two of three from Austin Peay on May 8-10. Bellarmine is trying to avoid being swept at home for the first time this season.