MONROE, La. -- Western
Kentucky rallied from a four-run deficit with six-unanswered runs to defeat ULM
7-5 Sunday afternoon in the Sun Belt Conference series finale at Warhawk Field.
The Warhawks carried a 5-1
lead into the sixth inning after pushing three across in the third and single
runs in the fourth and fifth innings. However, WKU scored three in the sixth
and two in the eighth to take the lead and then added an insurance run in the
top of the ninth.
WKU's three runs in the sixth
were all unearned after a pair of Warhawk errors aided the inning. Ivan Hartle
plated the first two runs of the frame with a single through the left side of
the infield following a one-out error and a double. A two-base throwing error
on an infield single allowed the third run of the inning to score.
Ryan Huck tied the game with a
home run to lead off the eighth inning. Hartle followed with a single to left
and then moved to second on a sac bunt. A wild pitch moved Hartle to third and
Jared Andreoli made the Warhawks pay for the mistake with a sac fly to give WKU
(27-17, 12-9 Sun Belt) a 6-5 lead. A sac fly by Ryan Hutchison following a
one-out triple by Kes Cater gave the Hilltoppers an insurance run in the ninth.
The Warhawks (22-21, 7-14) took
a 3-1 lead in the third as they pieced together three hits around a Hilltopper
error. Les Aulds drew a walk to load the bases following a lead-off single by
Judd Edwards and an error by WKU on a sac bunt attempt by Shane Ardoin.
Caleb Clowers drove a two-run
single into right field and Joey Rapp followed one batter later with an RBI
single to left. Edwards gave the Warhawks a 4-1 lead with a sac fly to score
Jason Hicks in the fourth and Rapp added his 10th homer of the
season in the fifth to up the ULM lead to 5-1; Rapp was the lone Warhawk with
multiple hits as he finished the game 2-for-4.
WKU opened the scoring in the third with a
single up the middle by Matt Rice to plate Andreoli after he reached on a
one-out single. Andreoli and Hartle had two hits each to lead WKU and eight of
the nine starters recorded a hit.
Brian Edelen (4-1) earned the
win for WKU with 5.2 strong innings out of the bullpen. He allowed a run on two
hits while striking out four and walking three.
James Jones (5-2) suffered his
first loss as a reliever for the Warhawks after he gave up six runs -- three
earned -- on seven hits in 4.2 innings. Jones entered the game in the fifth
inning with the bases loaded and got Rice to ground into an inning-ending
double play.
The Warhawks do not have any
mid-week games this upcoming week before they travel to UALR over the weekend
for a three-game Sun Belt Conference series.
