Box Score LITTLE ROCK, Ark. ? Arkansas-Little Rock (19-12, 1-3) took a 4-2 lead in to the top of the eighth inning on Friday night, but could not protect it, as Western Kentucky rallied for a 5-4 Sun Belt Conference win at Gary Hogan Field. The loss snapped a streak of 12-consecutive home field victories by the Trojans, who will look to rebound against the Hilltoppers (13-7, 2-2) on Saturday at 2 p.m.
WKU scored the first two runs of the game to build a 2-0 lead after four innings. Scotty Colt put the Hilltoppers on the board in the third with a RBI single, before WKU extended its lead to 2-0 off a double steal in the fourth.
Western was unable to do any more damage off starter Trevor Clay, who surrendered seven hits, two runs and no walks against five strikeouts over 5.1 innings of work. Clay left the game in the sixth with a 4-2 lead, but ended up with a no decision.
The Trojans tied things up in the bottom of the fourth as junior Brian Smiley (hit by pitch) and senior Jacob Stover (single) eached base to start things off. Stover recorded a hit in each of his first two at-bats on Friday to extend his string of consecutive at-bats with a hit to eight. His streak was snapped in the bottom of the sixth when he popped up a sacrifice bunt attempt.
With two runners on, senior Derek Eilers plated UALR's first run with a RBI groundout. Junior Matt King tied the game at 2-all moments later with a run-scoring double to right center. After a scoreless fifth, the Trojans went on top 4-2 in the bottom of the sixth as a wild pitch by reliever Adam Balcom (his first pitch of the game) allowed Smiley to score from third. A RBI single by Brett Lawler pushed across Eilers and made it a 4-2 contest.
Junior Adam Miller (5-2) came on for Clay in the top of the seventh with a runner on and no outs. WKU quickly loaded the bases, but Miller buckled down and escaped the jam unscathed by fanning Jordan Newton and forcing Casey Hamilton to ground out to second.
Miller wasn't as fortunate in the eighth and ninth, as WKU tied the game at 4-all in the eighth thanks to a solo homer by Dennis Winn (his second of the year) and a RBI single up the middle by Brandon Embry.
UALR had its chances in the bottom half, as Stover and Eilers drew back-to-back walks to start off the inning. A third walk from Bryan Rider (1-1) loaded the bases, but Rider prevented the Trojans from scoring with a strikeout and a groundout to first.
A pair of walks by Miller set the stage in the ninth for a game-winning, two-out RBI single by Jack Ambrose through the left side. Leading 5-4 in the bottom of the ninth Rider retired the Trojans in order to pick up the win.
Miller took the loss after allowing three runs, four hits and three walks over 3.0 innings of work. Rider got the win after closing out the game with 2.0 scoreless innings. Stover led UALR with a 2-for-3 day at the plate, while Ambrose paced the Toppers with three hits and two runs scored.
The two teams will meet tomorrow at 2 p.m., before closing out the series on Sunday at 1 p.m. Fans can follow the game for free through the live stats at www.ualrtrojans.com, or watch live video by signing up for the Trojan Tracker.
