RICHMOND, Ky. - Fresh off their first series victory of the season the University of Evansville baseball team arrives in Richmond, Kentucky to take part in the EKU Challenge this weekend. 

The Aces took two of three from Little Rock last weekend in Arkansas, sealing the deal on their first series victory since early March of last season, when they swept Western Illinois out of Braun Stadium.

SETTING THE SCENE: •The Purple Aces are coming off a successful weekend in Arkansas, taking two of three games from Little Rock. It's Evansville first series win since the first weekend of March last year, when the Aces swept Western Illinois.
 
THE OPPOSITION: • Boston College (4-2) is coming off a tough week-end, dropping the first two games of a three game road series with Buthune Cookman. However, the Eagles stormed back for a 14-5 victory in Sunday's series finale, avoiding the sweep.
 
Eastern Kentucky (6-3) are coming off a 7-3 loss to in-state rival Kentucky Tuesday. However, that followed a weekend wallopping of Maryland-Eastern Shore, where the Colonels outscored the oppo- sition 54-14, highlighted by a 27-8 thrashing in Sunday's series finale.
 
THE STARTING ROTATION: • The Aces will open the weekend Friday morning at 11 am CT with junior right-hander Adam Lukas taking the hill against Boston College. Lukas took a tough luck no-decision in last Friday's series opener against Little Rock. Lukas struck out seven and left the game in the sixth inning with a 5-2 lead, only to see the Trojans rally on a late grand slam to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, 7-5 was the final.
 
In Saturday's early game at 9 am CT against the the host Colonels of Eastern Kentucky, the Aces will give senior right-hander Justin Hayden his second start of the season against the host Colonels. Hayden was a winner in his first start since 2017 (missing 2018 due to labrum surgery rehabilitation) this past Mon- day, going four innings, giving up three runs on four hits, striking out three batters and walking none, in Evansville's 10-5 series-winning victory.
 
In the late game on Saturday at 1 pm CT against the Eagles, the Aces will send out junior left-hander Nathan Croner for his third start of the season. The southpaw earned his first victory of the season last time out, tossing six shutout innings, scattering two hits, and striking out four in the 3-1 UE win. 

ALL-TIME SERIES: • The Aces and Colonels have met 17 times through the years and have split the series right down the middle, with a record of 8-8-1. 
Evansville has never met Boston College on the baseball diamond.
 

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