The win moved the Hilltoppers to 15-15 overall and 3-8 in the Sun Belt, while the Blue Raiders fell to 16-14 and 4-4 in the league.
The Blue Raiders jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead thanks to an RBI single from Adam Warren in the first inning and a run-scoring hit by Jeff Beachum in the second. Both runs came with two outs in the frame. However, when Jack Ambrose reached on a two-base error to start the third inning, it opened the door for a big frame by the Hilltoppers. The top of the WKU order — Matt Ransdell, Corteze Armstrong, Scotty Colt and Jordan Newton — followed with four straight singles off MTSU starter Brett Smalley to plate three runs and take the lead. Dennis Winn then reached on a fielder’s choice to drive home Colt and make it a 4-2 game.
WKU stretched the lead to 5-2 an inning later when Ambrose hit his first career home run over the wall in right. But the Blue Raiders came right back to tie the game in the bottom of the fourth. After Topper starter Steve Hupper surrendered a one-out walk to Chase Eakes, Beachum and Wayne Kendrick singled to load the bases. Michael McKenry then drove home Eakes with a run-scoring groundout, and pinch hitter Dillon Heath singled in two more runs to knot things up at 5-5.
Colt led off the fifth inning with a double, and after a walk to Newton, scored when a potential double-play ball off the bat of Casey Hamilton was thrown into the Blue Raider dugout. Winn followed with an RBI single as Hamilton came in to score and give the Hilltoppers a 7-5 lead.
That would prove to be the difference in the game as the trio of Evan Teague, Adam Balcom and Bryan Rider blanked MTSU in its final five at bats. Teague (2-1) picked up the win as he allowed no hits and struck out two in 1.2 innings of work. Balcom allowed two hits in 2.2 innings, and Rider pitched a scoreless ninth, getting a double-play ground ball to end the game and earn his second save of the season.
Offensively, Colt led the Hilltoppers going 3-for-5 and extending his hitting streak to 11 games. Winn finished with a pair of hits and two RBI. Beachum paced the Blue Raiders with a 4-for-5 outing.
The teams will play the rubber match of their series tomorrow at 1 p.m. (CDT) at Reese Smith Field.
