April 1, 2003
Nashville, Tenn. - J.C. Faircloth (So., Jacksonville, Fla.) allowed one run in five innings of work to improve to 5-0 as the Western Kentucky baseball team downed Vanderbilt 11-4 Tuesday night at Hawkins Field to conclude a five-game road trip. The Hilltoppers are now 15-10, while the Commodores fall to 13-14.
On three day's rest, Faircloth held off the Commodores by scattering four hits and allowing just one run in the contest. He struck out two batters in the contest and lowered his 2.92. Grady Hinchman (So., Anderson, Ind.) tossed four innings of relief to preserve the win for his first save.
Western got on the board early scoring a run in its first at bat. Rafael Vallejo (The Bronx, N.Y.) drew a walk to begin the game. A double down the line left field by Matt Johnston (Jr., Clarkson, Ky.) moved Vallejo to third. A balk by Vanderbilt pitcher Blake Owen brought in Vallejo and moved Johnston to third. Johnston tried to score on a fly ball to shallow left by Brent Miller (So., Muncie, Ind.) but was thrown out at the plate by Warner Jones.
The Hilltoppers used a big third inning to score five runs to take a 6-0 lead. Johnston and Tim Grogan (Fr., Villa Hills, Ky.) opened the inning with back-to-back singles. Both scored on a double to center by Antone Towns (So., Louisville, Ky.). After a single by Miller, Towns scored on a sacrifice fly to center by Matt Gunning (Jr., Victoria, B.C.). Miller, who moved to second on a hit by Travis Brown (Sr., Kankakee, Ill.), scored on a perfectly executed hit-and-run by Kevin Bearden (Sr., Tallahasse, Fla.).
After threatening to score in the bottom of the fourth when Warner Jones reached on a dropped fly ball by Miller in right, Vanderbilt got on the board in the next inning. Jonathan Douillard led off with a single and moved to third on a double by Zach Simpson. Douillard made it 6-1 when he scored on a single by Ryan Klosterman. Faircloth kept the Commodores from getting any closer as he got the next two batters to go down.
The Toppers added two runs in the sixth and three in the ninth. David Lower (Sr., Anderson, Ind.) and Vallejo were each hit by reliever John Scott to start the inning. Lower scored on Johnston's third hit of the game, while Grogan brought in Vallejo.
In the ninth, Gunning led off with a single and moved to second when Phillip Thayer (Fr., Portland, Tenn.) walked. Gunning scored on a double by Matt Robinson (Fr., Louisville, Ky.) down the line in left. After Thayer scored on a ground ball, Vallejo doubled to bring in Robinson.
After getting a run in the eighth, the Commodores got two runs in their final at bats.
Western finished the game with 14 hits marking the fourth straight game the team had reached double-digits. Johnston led the way with three hits, while Vallejo, Miller and Brown each had two.
WKU returns home this weekend when Sun Belt Conference-leader Arkansas State visits for a three-game set. The Toppers are 3-3 in the conference two games behind the Indians, who are 5-1 in Sun Belt play. The series opens Friday at 6 p.m., with games at 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday. All times are Central.
