FRANKFORT, Ky. --- Asbury traveled to Frankfort, Ky on Thursday afternoon to face Kentucky State University for the second time in two weeks. This game went go differently than the first as the relentless Eagle offense would lead this team to a victory over Kentucky State, 12-9. 

Walker Paris got the start for Asbury making his fifth start of the season. Paris went 5.2 innings for AU allowing only 1 earned run to put the Eagles in a spot to win. Paris is now 4-1 on the season and has won each of his last four starts. The Eagle bullpen was busy in this game providing work from Caleb Poll, Nate McClellan, Holten Handel, and Bryce Barber. All four contributed to holding off Kentucky State with Bryce Barber closing the door to receive his third save of the season.

AU, coming off a weekend sweep kept their offense clicking as they scored eight runs in the first three innings of the game. Colton Perkins and Cam Weaver each had key RBI singles in the first to get things rolling. Over the next two innings, situational hitting by AU led to additional runs to improve the lead (Walker Paris, Kaiden Zacharias, Nathaniel Frank, and Jackson Cole each had an RBI).

Asbury struck again in the seventh for 3 more runs powered by doubles from Tanner McKee and Walker Paris. However, Kentucky State came roaring back in the eighth to score 7 runs, cutting the AU lead to 11-9. The AU offense responded in the ninth to add a run for insurance making it 12-9, and Bryce Barber closed the game out in the bottom of the ninth. 

The Eagles move to 9-5 on the season and have now won their past four games. 

* Walker Paris led Asbury on the mound for 5.2 innings with only 1 earned run, moving to 4-1 on the season. Paris also jumped in on the offensive end with 2 hits, including a double and 2 RBIs

* Colton Perkins was key for AU at the plate having a career-high 4 hits, and an RBI

* Bryce Barber came out in the ninth for AU and finishing the game, recording his third save of the season

* Noah Brown and Cam Weaver each had 2 hits on the day (Brown scored 4 runs, Weaver scored 2 runs and produced an RBI)

* The AU offense keeps going as they produced 12 hits today for 12 runs (worked 7 walks)

* The Asbury pitching staff only struck out 4 Kentucky State hitters but threw strikes and the AU defense held strong

* Four different AU hitters had a multi-hit game (Colton Perkins with 4 hits)

"Today was a really good team win. It's not always easy to go back to a place where have lost already, but the team did a good job of finding a way to win and even up the season series with Kentucky State. It's a good way for us to start a busy weekend, and hopefully, we can keep the momentum rolling into Friday."

     * Senior Outfielder, Kaiden Zacharias

Asbury will host Alice Lloyd on Friday, April 11 for a doubleheader starting at 12 pm