Box Score BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - WKU (32-17, 13-10) rallied in the bottom of the ninth for the second-straight game on Saturday, but the Trojans (23-23, 6-15) plated two runs in the top of the 11th inning to pull out an 8-6 victory at Nick Denes Field.
Senior Nate Brown led off the top of the ninth with a solo homer to right, his sixth of the year, to give UALR a 6-4 lead. The Trojans were unable to shut the door on the Hilltoppers in the bottom half, however, as WKU leadoff hitter Matt Payton reached base on a fielding error and Kes Carter drew a walk to put two runners on with one out. Matt Rice and Casey Dykes followed with consecutive run-scoring singles to tie things up at 4-all.
Junior Travis Henke came on in relief of junior Ryan Juris following Rice's RBI single in the ninth. After surrendering the game-tying RBI single to Dykes, Henke was able to get outs from the next two batters he faced to escape the jam without further damage - stranding the winning run at third.
Both teams went quietly in the 10th, but senior Landis Wilson got things going for UALR in the top of the 11th with a leadoff single to right. The Trojans loaded the bases with one out on the board thanks to a walk by senior Tim Emmons and a single by junior Brock Feldmann, and junior Bryce Killingsworth forced across the go-ahead run by drawing a four-pitch, bases-loaded walk.
Leading 7-6, junior Casey McCollum gave the Trojans an insurance run by plating pinch runner Aaron Jarosh with a base knock up the middle. Feldmann tried to score from second on McCollum's single, but WKU was able to throw him out at the plate to keep it a two-run ballgame.
Down 8-6, WKU threatened in the bottom of the 11th by putting two runners on base with one out, but Henke got a fly ball and a fielder's choice from the next two batters he faced to close out the win. Henke (2-3) picked up the victory in relief by holding the Hilltoppers to three hits over 2.2 scoreless innings.
WKU's Rye Davis (3-4) took the loss after allowing two runs and three hits over the final 2.0 innings. The Hilltoppers outhit UALR 13-to-10 on Saturday afternoon, led by three hits apiece from Payton and Logan Robbins.
Junior Daniel Golden gave UALR its second strong start in as many days, holding the Hilltoppers to eight hits and four runs (three earned) with six strikeouts over 7.1 innings. McCollum paced the Trojan offense with a 3-for-6 day at the plate, while junior Jake Rowell drove in a team-high three runs, thanks in part to a pair of sacrifice flies.
The two teams close out the three-game series tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m.
