MONROE, La. - Senior catcher Matt Rice and right fielder Ryan Hutchison combined for four hits and five RBIs to lift the Western Kentucky baseball team to an 8-5 win over Louisiana-Monroe on Saturday night at Warhawk Field.
With the game tied 1-1, the Hilltoppers (26-17, 11-9 Sun Belt Conference) scored seven, two-out runs in the top of the seventh inning and held on to even the series with the Warhawks (22-20, 7-13).
Rice and Hutchison each tallied a pair of hits with Hutchison driving in three runs on his fourth home run of the year. Left fielder Jared Andreoli, first baseman Ryan Huck and third baseman Casey Dykes each had two hits.
Hilltoppers starting pitcher Justin Hageman (7-4) allowed four runs on seven hits in seven innings. The freshman walked four and struck out six. Redshirt senior Brian Edelen retired all four batters he faced, including striking out the side in the ninth, to earn his first save of the year.
Sophomore Taylor Haydel allowed a run on two hits in two-thirds of an inning.
WKU took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning on an RBI single by Dykes. Huck scored on the play after leading off the inning with a double.
ULM tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the third on an RBI single by catcher Jarrett Hammond.
The Hilltoppers sent 10 batters to the plate in a seven-run top of the seventh inning. Second baseman Ivan Hartle drew a two-out, bases-loaded walk to give WKU a 3-2 lead. Rice followed with a two-run single to center and center fielder Kes Carter drove in a run with a single to right field. Hutchison capped the scoring with a three-run home run to left field.
The Warhawks tallied four runs in the bottom of the eighth to cut the WKU lead to 8-5. After an RBI single by second baseman Caleb Clowers, Hammond came around to score on a wild pitch. Right fielder Taylor Abdalla followed with an RBI groundout and designated hitter Jason Hicks tallied an RBI single.
The WKU offense tagged Warhawks starter Randy Zeigler (4-4) for seven runs on eight hits with a pair of walks and five strikeouts in 6-2/3 innings. Right-hander Shelby Aulds gave up a run on two hits in 1-1/3 innings. Fellow right-hander Luke Briley allowed one hit in an inning of work.
The Hilltoppers will go for the series win at 1 p.m. Sunday. WKU right-hander Phil Wetherell (0-2, 4.28 ERA) will take the hill against ULM right-hander Drew Granier (3-3, 4.12).
