Box Score LITTLE ROCK - Tanner Perkins threw 7.0 shutout innings and Chris Bullard drove in five runs to lead Western Kentucky to a 14-3 victory over UALR (11-14, 2-5) on Friday night at Gary Hogan Field. The Hilltoppers (17-9, 6-1 SBC) scored three runs in each of the first two innings to jump out to a 6-0 lead, and Bullard hit a grand slam in the fourth to put the game out of reach.
Perkins improved to 6-1 on the year by limiting the Trojans to four hits over 7.0 shutout frames while racking up eight strikeouts against just one walk. WKU banged out 16 hits in the win and gave Perkins all the run support he would need over the first two innings.
Bullard finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored and five RBI to lead the way for WKU. Outfielder Kes Carter added a 4-for-5 performance with three doubles and two RBI, while Ryan Hutchison drove in three runs and scored two off a 3-for-6 day at the plate.
Perkins left the game after the seventh inning, and the Trojans were finally able to generate some offense against reliever Brian Doering. Sophomore Myles Parma and junior Hector Acosta opened the eighth with back-to-back singles, making Parma the first Trojan to reach second base in the game. Parma led the Trojans with a 4-for-4 day at the plate, including two bunt singles.
Junior Cameron Bentley put UALR on the board with a run-scoring double down the right field line, and junior Sean Bignall followed with a RBI groundout to make it a 14-2 contest. Senior Trevor Burton capped off the three-run rally with a two-out, RBI single to center to bring the game to its 14-3 conclusion.
WKU ran out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first by drawing four walks off UALR starter Garret Graziano. The Hilltoppers had just one hit in the first inning, a two-out, two-RBI single up the middle by Casey Dykes. WKU added three more runs in the top of the second after Scott Wilcox drew a leadoff walk, capped off by a two-run double by Carter.
Graziano allowed six runs (five earned), six walks and four hits over 3.0 innings to fall to 2-5 on the year.
UALR and WKU return to action tomorrow afternoon at 4 p.m.
