EKU prepares for Atlantic Sun Tournament pool play

The Colonels face off against Stetson, Austin Peay and Jacksonville State in conference baseball tournament

ATLANTA, Ga. – (EKU Sports) – Eastern Kentucky University played 10 of the other 13 ASUN Conference baseball teams during the regular season, the Colonels will face the three teams they did not play – Stetson, Austin Peay and Jacksonville State – in  ASUN Tournament pool play starting Tuesday in DeLand, Florida.

EKU, the No. 6 seed, will begin its quest for the ASUN Championship in Pool B against No. 5 seed Stetson on Tuesday.  On Wednesday, the Colonels will take on No. 8 seed Austin Peay.  The final pool play game for the Maroon & White will be Thursday against No. 7 seed Jacksonville State.  All three games are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. ET and will be played at Melching Field at Conrad Park in DeLand.

Pool A consist of the top four seeds – No. 1 Lipscomb, No. 2 Florida Gulf Coast, No. 3 Liberty and No. 4 Jacksonville.  The top eight of the 14 teams in the ASUN standings secured spots in the postseason tournament.  Lipscomb earned the No. 1 seed by winning the regular season championship.  Seeding for the remaining seven teams was based on NCAA RPI.

Each team has an off day during pool play.  The Colonels’ off day will be Friday.  The top three teams from Pool A and the winner of Pool B will advance to the semifinals scheduled for Saturday.  The ASUN Tournament Championship game will be played on Sunday.

All ASUN Tournament games will air live on ESPN+.

While the Colonels did not face any of their Pool B counterparts during the regular season, EKU did play all four teams in Pool A.  In addition to winning the series against No. 2 FGCU, the Colonels won one and lost two in extra innings against No. 1 Lipscomb.  EKU was a combined 5-7 against the top four seeds.

EKU finished the 2023 regular season 28-28 overall and 15-15 in league games.  The Colonels led the ASUN in walks, were third in home runs and fourth in runs scored.  Defensively, EKU led the conference in double plays turned (57), 13 more than any other team, and was fourth in fielding percentage.

In last season’s ASUN Tournament, the Colonels beat North Florida, Jacksonville State and Jacksonville in pool play before falling in the semifinals to No. 1 seed Liberty.