RICHMOND, Ky. – SIUE outhit Eastern Kentucky 14-9 Saturday, but it wasn't enough as the Colonels won the final game of a three-game Ohio Valley Conference baseball series 8-3 at Turkey Hughes Field.

The Cougars fell to 10-11 in the OVC and 13-24 overall. Eastern Kentucky improved to 19-21 and 9-9 in the OVC.

Cougar pitchers gave up 13 free passes Saturday, walking eight EKU hitters and hitting five others.

The Colonels got all the runs they would need in a four-run second inning against SIUE starter Caleb Wilkerson. EKU used three hits, and took advantage of a dropped pop fly on the infield to take the 4-0 lead.

"It makes baseball real difficult to play when you're always playing from behind after the big inning," SIUE Head Coach Tony Stoecklin said.    

Brian Sipe led off the third inning with a single and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Chase Green to make it 4-1.

The Colonels extended the lead to 5-1 with a single run in the third to chase Wilkerson. He allowed five runs, just two earned, on four hits over 2 1/3 innings. He walked three and did not strikeout a hitter. He fell to 0-2 with the loss.

The Colonels worked a run on two hits against J.D. Williams in the fourth inning to push the lead to 6-1. Williams allowed just the run on three hits in 3 2/3 innings. He walked three, hit a pair of batters, and struck out two.

"JD gave us some quality innings and kept us in the ballgame," Stoecklin said. "He gave us an opportunity to stay in it."

Green drove in his second run of the day on a groundout in the fifth to make it 6-2. Again it was Sipe who scored. Sipe reached on a fielder's choice earlier in the inning.

The Colonels scored twice in the seventh on two hits against SIUE reliever Brett Thomas to go up 8-2. Thomas lasted just 2/3 of an inning. He walked two and hit a batter.

Sipe led off the ninth inning with his second hit of the day and later scored on a double play ball for the final margin. For the game the Cougars stranded 10 runners, and hit into two double plays.

"We had opportunities but the double play killed us a couple of times," Stoecklin said. "We never got the really big hit to blow up for a big inning."

Sipe finished the game 2 for 4 with the three runs. Nick Lombardo and Denton Reed each had three hits for the Cougars. Skyler Geissinger and Austin Verschoore each finished with two hits.

EKU starter Caleb Johnson (4-0) allowed two runs on seven hits over five innings to earn the win. He walked two and struck out two.

Kyle Nowlin led the Colonels at the plate. He was 2 for 4 with three RBIs.

The Cougars next travel to Peoria, Ill., for a Wednesday game at Bradley. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.