April 21, 2001
Bowling Green, Ky. - The Western Kentucky baseball team improved its conference winning streak to five games to remain in a first-place tie with a 7-4 win over Arkansas-Little Rock on Saturday.
The Hilltoppers (27-16, 11-6 SBC) took a quick 1-0 lead in the first as LF Matt Fox (Sr., Louisville, Ky.) led off the inning with his seventh home run of the year over the wall in left. Hilltopper starter Ryan Bicondoa (Jr., Lovelock, Nev.) shut down the UALR offense through the first four innings allowing only one hit.
The Trojans (17-19, 5-12 SBC) finally broke through in the fifth as catcher Derek Santangelo doubled to right to lead off the inning. 3B Austin Standiford was hit by a pitch and 2B Brodie Ward drew a one-out walk to load the bases. CF Michael Johnson then grounded into a fielder's choice, plating Santangelo to tie the game at 1-1.
Western responded with a run in the bottom of the fifth as RF Tim Cleland (Sr., Klamath Falls, Ore.) drew a one-out walk and moved to third on a single by SS Luis Rodriguez (Sr., Rio Piedra, Puerto Rico). Cleland then scored when a balk was called on UALR starter Bobby Reed to make it a 2-1 WKU lead.
The Toppers struck for three more runs in the sixth inning. Catcher Ryan Cattell (Jr., Minnetonka, Minn.) led off the frame with a single to center and advanced to second on a groundout by DH Jeff Pacholke (Jr., Prairrie DuSac, Wisc.). 3B Tanner Townsend (Jr., London, Ky.) followed with a double to right, driving in Cattell. Paul Speer relieved Reed and gave up a double to Cleland which plated Townsend. Cleland then scored as a ball hit by Rodriguez went through the legs of 1B Chris Hall, giving WKU a 5-1 advantage.
UALR got itself back in the game, scoring three times in the eighth inning. Johnson led off the inning with a bunt single. After SS Miguel Miranda drew a one-out walk, DH Derin McMains singled to right, driving in Johnson. Hall followed with a single to right that plated Miranda. Mike Belch (Sr., Las Vegas, Nev.) relieved Bicondoa and walked Santangelo to load the bases. Strandiford was then hit by a pitch, forcing in a run to make it 5-4. However, Belch got RF Kris Fluger to pop up and struck out Ward to leave the tying run stranded at third.
Western answered with two more runs in the bottom of the eighth as Townsend hit his second double of the game to start the inning. Cleland laid down a sacrifice bunt that was thrown away by Speer, allowing Townsend to score. CF David Lower (So., Alexandria, Ind.) followed with a double to left to put runners on second and third, and pinch runner Jerry Cecil (Jr., Louisville, Ky.) scored when Rodriguez reached on an error by Miranda to extend the Topper lead to 7-4.
Brian Houdek (Sr., Dyer, Ind.) retired the Trojans in order in the ninth to record his second save of the season. Bicondoa (8-3) picked up the win going 7.1 innings allowing four runs on six hits while striking out six. Fox, D.J. Johnson (So., Hudson, Ky.) and Townsend each had two hits to lead the Hilltopper offense.
Western and UALR will conclude their three-game Sun Belt series tomorrow at 1 p.m. (CDT).
- WKU -
