TROY, Ala.--- Junior ace Matt Ridings went seven innings and gave up three runs off five hits, as the Western Kentucky University baseball team remained a perfect 7-0 in league play, taking down Troy, 7-4. Ridings, who improved to 3-0 on the year, tied a season best with eight strikeouts.
With the game tied at three going into the eighth, the Toppers’ (13-5) used a leadoff single from Chad Cregar and a RBI double from Matt Rice to reclaim the lead at 4-3. Terrence Dayleg then drove home Rice with a one out single up the middle. Matt Payton would eventually drive in Dayleg with a sacrifice fly, which gave WKU a 6-3 advantage.
Troy (11-8) would draw within two in the bottom half of the eighth, only to see the lead pushed back to three after Wade Gaynor belted his second home run of the game and his sixth of the season, to give the Toppers’ a 7-4 advantage. With three hits in the game, Gaynor extends his hitting streak to 17 games. Senior pitcher Evan Teague notched his first save of the season, giving up one hit over 1.1 innings of work and striking out a pair.
The Trojans would leave the bases loaded in the first inning, before striking first in the second inning off a Steven Felix solo home run. J.R. Myers added a RBI double in the inning, putting Troy ahead 2-0 after two innings.
WKU would answer in the third, using a two-out rally sparked by a Wade Gaynor two-run homer to left field. Matt Payton started the rally with a two-out single. Payton, after stealing second, scored on a Jared Andreoli single to center field. Andreoli, who stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by the catcher, would score on the Wade Gaynor home run.
Troy would only manage one other run against WKU starter Matt Ridings, tying the game at three in the fourth off a Bart Pettus solo home run to right field.
Troy starter Jason Walls got a no-decision, working six innings, giving up three runs off three hits. Drew Hull (1-2) took the loss for the Trojans, going 1.1 innings, giving up three runs.
WKU and Troy will square off in game two of the three-game set tomorrow evening at 6 p.m. from Riddle Pace Field in Troy, Ala.
