BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - The Western Kentucky University baseball team will look to extend its current winning streak when it travels to Louisville, Ky., Tuesday to take on the nationally-ranked Cardinals at Jim Patterson Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 5:00 p.m.
The Hilltoppers (12-16) are coming off their first Sun Belt Conference series win of the season, taking the final two games of a weekend series against Arkansas-Little Rock. WKU junior Tim Bado and redshirt senior Ross Hammonds combined to limit the Trojans to one run in a 5-1 win on Saturday and shortstop Steve Hodgins' RBI single in the bottom of the 11th Sunday helped WKU complete an 8-7 come-from-behind victory. Senior third baseman Casey Dykes went 5-for-6 with a pair of RBIs to lead the offense in the finale.
Louisville (20-8) has a record of 17-4 at Jim Patterson Stadium this season and enters Tuesday's game coming off a home-series win against Villanova. The Cardinals are ranked No. 18 by NCBWA, No. 21 by USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll and No. 26 by Collegiate Baseball in polls released Monday.
The Cardinals will host their annual Cancer Awareness Night on Tuesday. Players and coaches will wear special jerseys and hats during the game and fans are encouraged to wear pink in support of cancer awareness. Pink lemonade will be sold, with $1 from every sale going to support Home Runs for Hope, a fundraiser with all of the proceeds benefiting Gilda's Club of Louisville.
Local health care professionals will be on hand to answer questions and provide cancer awareness tips and members of both the Louisville and WKU baseball families who have been affected by cancer will throw out the night's ceremonial first pitch.
The Hilltoppers will play their next eight games on the road beginning this weekend with a three-game series at Louisiana-Lafayette. Game times are scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday. WKU then travels to Arkansas State, April 13-15.
Tuesday's game will be broadcast live on Hilltopper IMG Sports Network with live stats and live audio available on WKUSports.com for the games as well.
Complete game notes are available in .pdf form at the link at the bottom of the page.
Game 29:
Tuesday, April 3, 2012 // 5:00 PM (CT)
WKU (12-16) at Louisville (20-8)
Louisville, Ky. // Jim Patterson Stadium
Pitching Probables:
WKU: Austin Clay (Sophomore LHP; 3-3, 4.11 ERA)
Louisville: Jared Ruxer (Freshman RHP; 3-0, 2.52 ERA)
