Kyle Nowlin breaks EKU’s HR record in final game of season

In the final game of his career, senior outfielder Kyle Nowlin broke Eastern Kentucky’s program record for home runs in a season.

Nowlin, from Harrison, Ohio, stepped to the plate Saturday at Tennessee Tech with two runners on in the first inning and sent the first pitch he saw over the wall in left field for his 21st home run of the season. The Colonels went on to lose the game 7-5 in Cookeville, Tenn.

Nowlin, who had tied the school record held by Lee Chapman (1999) and Clay Elswick (1986) this past Thursday, concluded his career with 49 home runs, three short of the program record of 52 held by both Chapman and Elswick. Nowlin had 241 hits, 178 runs, 157 RBI, 145 walks and a .308 batting average during his four-year collegiate career.

Mandy Alvarez gave Eastern a 4-1 lead with an RBI single up the middle in the second inning. The senior went 1-for-5 with an RBI in his final game. Alvarez concluded the regular season leading the country with 97 hits. He also had 58 RBI, 47 runs and a .409 batting average in 2016.

Cole Warrenfeltz stole home in the fourth inning on a double steal attempt to give the visitors a 5-1 lead.

The Golden Eagles (31-22, 17-13 OVC) scored twice in the bottom half of the fourth to get within two. Tech tied it in the fifth on David Garza’s two-run triple down the right field line and then took the lead on a sacrifice fly by Josh Pankratz.

Warrenfeltz finished 1-for-3 with three runs scored for EKU (24-31, 13-17 OVC).

This story was originally published May 21, 2016 at 6:42 PM with the headline "Kyle Nowlin breaks EKU’s HR record in final game of season."