April 13, 2003
Mobile, Ala. - The Western Kentucky baseball team entered its series finale on the brink of being swept for the first time since the losing three to Louisiana Tech on the final weekend of the 2000 season, but pulled away in the ninth inning of a see-saw game to win 10-6 over South Alabama at Stanky Field on Sunday afternoon. Western improves to 18-13 and 5-6 in the Sun Belt, while the Jaguars improve to 25-10 and 6-3 in the conference.
Down 6-5, the Hilltoppers scored two runs in the top of the seventh inning off reliever Tony Neal to take the lead for good. Antone Towns (So., Louisville, Ky.) singled down the line in left and went to third on a double to right by Brent Miller, (So., Muncie, Ind.). Towns scored on a sacrifice fly by Matt Gunning (Jr., Victoria, B.C.). Miller scored on single by Travis Brown (Sr., Kankakee, Ill.).
Western gave itself breathing room in the ninth with three runs. Kevin Bearden (Sr., Tallahassee, Fla.) led off the inning by singling and moved to second when Matt Wilhite (Sr., Franklin, Ky.) reached on an error on a sacrifice bunt. Gunning loaded the bases when he reached on an infield hit. After Bearden scored on a wild pitch by Neal, Trevor Keesling (Sr., Hagerstown, Ind.) singled to left scoring Wilhite and Gunning.
With the run support, Wilhite was solid in relief. He tossed 3-2/3 innings scattering three hits and striking out two. The win improved Wilhite's record to 4-2 on the season. Wilhite relieved Andy Baldwin (Jr., Campbellsville, Ky.) who gave up six runs - five earned - on five hits. Baldwin struck out five in the game.
The Hilltoppers took advantage of a Jaguar error in the top of the first to take a 1-0 lead. With one out, Johnston reached on an error by Brett Parker. Johnston moved to second on a single by Tim Grogan (Fr., Villa Hills, Ky.) and scored from there on a bloop single by Miller to left with two outs.
South Alabama answered with two in the bottom of the first taking advantage of a throwing error by Western. Johnston made a back-handed stop deep in the hole at second, but threw the ball into the WKU dugout. USA's T.J. Touchstone and Ryan Fillingim scored on the hit by Adam Lind.
In the top of the second, Western regained the lead with two runs. Keesling drew a one-out walk and moved to second on a single by Rafael Vallejo (So., The Bronx, N.Y.). After Johnston reached on a fielder's choice, Keesling scored from third on a double steal. Johnston ended up on third after a throwing error by Parker. Johnston gave WKU a 3-2 lead when he scored on a single by Grogan off Frank Elia.
A two-run triple in the bottom of the third gave the Jaguars their second lead 4-3. With two outs and runners on the corners, Lind tripled to center off Baldwin.
Following the first scoreless inning of the game for both teams in the fourth, the Hilltoppers scored two in the top of the fifth. Towns singled to start the inning and went to second when Miller walked. A sacrifice bunt by Gunning put both runners in scoring position. Towns scored ground ball by Brown. Freshman Matt Robinson (Louisville, Ky.) doubled down the right field line to score Miller for a 5-4 lead.
In a strange bottom of the sixth inning, USA scored twice to take a 6-5 lead. Lind doubled and Tim Land was hit by a pitch to start the inning. Wilhite gave up RBI singles to Parker and T.J. Touchstone with one out. WKU avoided a big inning as it caught Parker in a rundown between first and second, and Wilhite picked T.J. Touchstone off first.
The Toppers had 17 hits and four steals in the game tying season highs in both categories. Grogan, Towns, and Robinson each had three hits to lead Western. Brown and Keesling each had two RBI.
Western returns home to face Kentucky at Nick Denes Field on Wednesday night at 6 p.m. The game will be Fan Appreciation Night with the first 300 spectators receiving a free hot dog and Pepsi courtesy of WKU Athletics.
