March 16, 2001
Bowling Green, Ky. - Louisiana-Lafayette used a four-run fourth inning to defeat Western Kentucky, 5-3, in the first Sun Belt Conference game for both teams Friday night.
After getting shut down through the first three inning, the Ragin' Cajuns (16-7, 1-0 SBC) scored four unearned runs in the fourth inning off Hilltopper starter Ryan Hutchison (Sr., Vincennes, Ind.). RF Bryan Sneed opened the frame with a single to right and advanced to second when SS Neil Simoneaux reached on an error by Hutchison. CF Matt Pavlich then laid down a sacrifice bunt that was thrown away by WKU 3B Nick Turner (Jr., Louisville, Ky.), allowing Sneed to score. Simoneaux then scored on a failed pickoff attempt by Hutchison and catcher Doug Vicknair and 3B Robert Shelton each had RBI singles to plate two more runs and give ULL a 4-0 lead after four innings.
Western (13-6, 0-1 SBC) broke into the scoring column in the fifth inning as RF Tim Cleland (Sr., Klamath Falls, Ore.) reached on an error by Simoneaux to lead off the inning. LF Matt Fox (Sr., Louisville, Ky.) then reached on an error by Shelton to put. Both runners moved up on a sacrifice bunt by 2B Brian Houdek (Sr., Dyer, Ind.). 1B D.J. Johnson (So., Hudson, Ky.) dropped an infield single to score Cleland and Turner doubled down the left field line to plate Fox to make it a 4-2 game. However, Cajun starter Tim Ramon struck out catcher Ryan Cattell (Jr., Minnetonka, Minn.) and got DH Jeff Pacholke (Jr., Prairre Du Sac, Wisc.) to ground out to short, ending the threat.
ULL added a run in the ninth as pinch runner Kevin Preau scored on a Hutchison wild pitch, making it 5-2. The Hilltoppers rallied in the bottom of the ninth as SS Luis Rodriguez (Sr., Rio Piedra, Puerto Rico) reached on an error by Simoneaux and advanced to second on a groundout by Cleland. Fox then singled off Cajun reliever Cory Townsend to score Rodriguez, pulling the Toppers back within two, 5-3. Houdek was then hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. However, Gordon O'Brien relieved Townsend and got Johnson to fly out and Turner to ground into a fielder's choice to end the game.
Hutchison (4-3) suffered the loss for Western despite throwing a complete game allowing five runs, only one earned, on four hits and striking out six. Roman (4-0) picked up the win throwing 8.0 innings allowing two unearned runs on seven hits and striking out 12. O'Brien picked up his second save of the year in relief.
The Hilltoppers and Ragin Cajuns will continue their three-game series tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m. (CST) at Nick Denes Field.
-WKU -
