LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Arkansas-Little Rock scored a combined six runs in the first and second innings Sunday afternoon to win its weekend series against the Western Kentucky University baseball team with an 11-6 victory at Gary Hogan Field.
WKU (17-11, 6-3 Sun Belt Conference) trimmed its deficit to 8-6 heading into the bottom of the seventh before UALR (13-14, 4-5) added three runs in the seventh and eighth innings to pull away for good.
Hilltoppers senior catcher Matt Rice finished the game 2-for-4 with two home runs and four RBIs. Shortstop Scott Wilcox added a pair of hits, and right fielder Ryan Hutchison had an RBI.
The Trojans offense pounded out 11 runs on 14 hits, led by second baseman Jason Houston, who went 3-for-3 with a double, home run and two RBIs. Catcher Nick Rountree and first baseman Jake Rowell each had two RBIs.
WKU starting pitcher Brian Edelen (3-1) allowed six runs - five earned - on six hits with two walks and four strikeouts in three innings. Junior reliever Phil Wetherell was touched for two runs on four hits in 3-1/3 innings while striking out four. Right hander Rye Davis worked the final 1-2/3 innings, giving up three runs on four hits with a pair of strikeouts.
UALR took a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first, scoring three of those runs courtesy of a throwing error. Designated hitter Justin Barnes added an RBI single.
A two-run home run by Rountree pushed the Trojan lead to 6-0 in the second.
WKU got on the board in the top of the fourth with an RBI groundout by Hutchison to make it 6-1. Center fielder Kes Carter scored after he reached base on a single.
UALR regained its six-run lead in the bottom of the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Houston.
The Hilltoppers tallied three runs in top of the sixth to cut the Trojans' lead to 7-4. Rice highlighted the inning with a two-run home run, and Carter later scored on a wild pitch.
A solo home run by Houston in the bottom of the sixth put UALR in front 8-4.
Rice added his second two-run homer of the game, his fifth of the season, in the top of the seventh to bring WKU back within two, 8-6.
The Trojans scored a pair of runs in the seventh - one on a wild pitch, the other on an RBI single by shortstop Greg Garcia - and a single run in the eighth on a sacrifice fly by Rowell to push the final score to 11-6.
Trojans starter Calvin Drinnen (3-2) gave up five runs - four earned - on five hits while walking four and striking out three in 6-2/3 innings. Relievers Bubba Cooper and Andrew Hohn limited WKU to one run on two hits in the final 1-1/3 innings with a walk and two strikeouts.
The Hilltoppers will play nine of their next 10 games at home, beginning with a matchup Tuesday against Louisville. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Bowling Green Ballpark in downtown Bowling Green. WKU then will host Louisiana-Lafayette in a three-game SBC series starting Friday at Nick Denes Field.
