Box Score BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – The Trojans put runners on base throughout the game, but were only able to score once as the Hilltoppers took the series with a 4-1 win at Nick Denes Field.
UALR (18-24, 6-15 SBC) collected nine hits, drew three walks and loaded the bases in two separate innings, but WKU (23-21, 11-10 SBC) was able to get outs when it needed them the most to hold on.
Cameron Allen, who has struggled on the road this year, came up with a quality start and Austin Pfeiffer continued to anchor the lineup, but it wasn't enough for the Trojans as they dropped the series against the Hilltoppers.
UALR threatened in the first as Pfeiffer led off the game with a single to extend his hitting streak to 10 games. He advanced to third on Justin Steelmon's single to put Trojans on the corners with just one out. Joseph Paulino drew a two-out walk to load the bases, but WKU starter Jake Thompson was able to get out of the inning.
The Hilltoppers came up with a clutch two-out double by David Simmons in the second to plate Anderson Miller and take a 1-0 lead before Allen could get out of the inning.
After Thompson retired the Trojans' first batter in the fourth Drew Merten Petr Sila and Sam Vogel picked up three straight singles to load the bases with one out. Pfeiffer picked up another single to score Merten, but Sila was called out on a close play at the plate to end the inning with the score tied 1-1.
Philip Diedrick put WKU back on top with a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the fourth. The Hilltoppers continued with another double by Simmons, who advanced to third on a pass ball and scored on a flare by Leiff Clarkson to give WKU a 3-1 lead.
Allen kept WKU down as he worked into the seventh inning before Dyllon Brownmiller came on to face Ryan Church, the Hilltopper's top hitter in the series. For the second day in a row Brownmiller retired the WKU slugger and stranded a runner on second.
Allen finished his solid outing allowing three runs, two earned, on nine hits while striking out two and walking just one in 6.2 innings.
UALR chased Thompson from the game in the eighth as Tanner Rockwell reached on an error and Bryson Thionnet singled up the middle to put the tying run on base. Paulino added a single, but Rockwell was tagged out in a rundown between home and third for the second out of the inning.
WKU added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth against Jesse Harbin to build its lead to 4-1.
As they did all day the Trojans put themselves in position to score as Vogel drew a walk and Pfeiffer singled to put runners on the corners with two outs. But once again the WKU pitcher was able to get an out and preserve the win.
The Trojans will return to Gary Hogan Field for all five games this week. The five-game home stand will begin on Tuesday against Grambling State at 6:00 p.m. and continue Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. against Missouri State. UALR will remain at home for its first conference-series against Sun Belt-newcomer UT Arlington with game one starting at 6:00 p.m. on Friday.
