DELAND, Fla. – The Stetson Hatters opened play in the ASUN Conference Tournament in style on Tuesday night, as David Bermudez's first inning home run gave the Hatters 79 on the season, setting a new team single-season record. The blast was a sign of things to come, as the Hatters continued their recent offensive hot streak and got another strong relief performance from Jonathan Gonzalez to roll to an 8-3 victory over Eastern Kentucky in their opening game.
 

After starter Austin Amaral set the Colonels down in order with a strikeout, a flyout, and a pickoff, Stetson (34-22) struck twice in the bottom of the first. Bermudez got things rolling with one out in the bottom of the first, demolishing the first pitch he saw to the left of the scoreboard in left field, giving the Hatters a 1-0 lead and setting the new record. Following walks to first baseman Landon Moran and catcher Christian Pregent, designated hitter added on, tattooing a single to center field to drive in Moran and push the lead to 2-0.

Third baseman Drew Wyers would double down the left field line to open the second for Stetson, moving to third on a sac bunt from second baseman Andrew Estrella before coming in to score on a single from shortstop Lorenzo Meola. Meola then moved from first to third on a single from Bermudez before making the Stetson lead 4-0 by scoring on a sacrifice fly off the bat of center fielder Cameron Hill.

The Hatters continued to pile on in the third, when designated hitter Brandon Hylton reach on an error to open the inning and right fielder Jayden Hylton and third baseman Drew Wyers were hit by pitches to load the bases. Second baseman Andrew Estrella took advantage of the situation, ripping a single to left-center field to plate both Hyltons. After Meola moved the runners up 90 feet with a sacrifice bunt, Bermudez lofted a sacrifice fly down the left field line to score Wyers and give the Hatters a 7-0 lead.

Eastern Kentucky (28-29) responded with a pair of runs in the fifth and another in the sixth, but Stetson would get one back in the seventh, when Jayden Hylton was again hit by a pitch. After a balk moved him to second, Hylton would then come in to scored on a sharply hit single to right-center field by Estrella to give the Hatters the 8-3 lead.

Amaral worked the first 4.2 innings for Stetson, holding the Colonels to a pair of earned runs on five hits and three walks while striking out five, before handing off to Gonzalez, who allowed just one run on two hits while striking out 11.

At the plate, Bermudez was 3-for-4 with a home run, two RBI, and a run scored, while Estrella went 2-for-3 with three RBI.

The Hatters are back at it again tomorrow, taking on seventh-seeded Jacksonville State at 2:30 PM.