March 2, 2001
Bowling Green, Ky. - The Western Kentucky baseball team improved to 7-5 on the season and extended its winning streak to five games with a 7-4 victory over Toledo on Friday.
The Rockets (2-2) got on the board in the first with a run off Hilltopper starter Ryan Hutchison (Sr., Vincennes, Ind.). CF Tony Miller drew a two-out walk and stole second and third, scoring on a throwing error by WKU catcher Brian Polson (Jr., Louisville).
Western finally broke through in the fourth inning after Toledo starter Shawn Wilson had held the Toppers without a hit through the first three frames. RF Tim Cleland (Sr., Klamath Falls, Ore.) led off the inning with a walk and moved to third on a hit-and-run single by CF David Lower (So., Alexandria, Ind.). 3B Tanner Townsend (Jr., London, Ky.) plated Cleland with an infield single and Lower was brought home on an RBI groundout by SS Luis Rodriguez (Sr., Rio Piedra, Puerto Rico). Polson then singled to center scoring Townsend to give WKU a 3-1 lead.
After adding a single run in the fifth, the Hilltoppers added three more runs in the sixth to take a 7-1 lead. Townsend led off with a single and scored on a Rodriguez single to left. LF Matt Fox then blasted his second home run of the season, a two-run homer to deep left-center field.
Toledo added single runs in the seventh, eighth and ninth, but WKU reliever Mike Belch (Sr., Las Vegas, Nev.) was able to survive a late push by the Rockets to preserve the victory.
Hutchison (3-2) shut down the Rockets over 7.0 innings, allowing only two runs on five hits while striking out nine Toledo hitters. Belch threw the final 2.0 innings allowing two runs on three hits. Townsend led the Hilltopper offense with three hits.
WKU and Toledo will resume their three-game series tomorrow beginning at noon (CST). The game was originally scheduled for 2 p.m., but was changed due to the threat of bad weather. If the weather holds, the two teams will also play the final game of the series on Saturday, otherwise it will be played Sunday at 1 p.m.
- WKU -
