JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – In the series finale, WKU (7-4) fell victim to a four-run sixth inning by Jacksonville State (6-4), which gave the Gamecocks a 9-7 win at Rudy Abbott Field on Sunday.
The Hilltoppers will make a quick trip to Knoxville, Tennessee, for a game with Tennessee on Tuesday before returning home, with first pitch slated for 5 p.m. CT from Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
In Sunday's game, WKU racked up double-digit hits for the eighth time in the first 11 games of 2016, while out-hitting Jacksonville State 13-8. WKU has registered more hits than its opponent in eight fixtures this season. The Tops took a 7-5 lead into the bottom of the sixth after plating three in the top of the frame, but could not keep JSU from scoring four in its at-bat.
Steven DiPuglia got the sixth started with a leadoff double before an error eventually brought him home. Thomas Peter then hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Brandon Pollock to put the Hilltoppers up 6-5. After Danny Hudzina and Zach Janes both moved up on the base paths thanks to a wild pitch, Kaleb Duckworth wheeled out an infield single to plate Janes, pushing WKU's advantage to 7-5.
Hudzina and Duckworth combined for seven hits in nine at-bats on the day, while each scored and drove in a run from the third and fourth spots in the batting order. Hudzina extended his hitting streak to 16 games and brought up his batting average to .510 on the season after going 4-for-5 with a double. Duckworth saw his 2016 average rise to .378 after finishing 3-for-4 with a walk.
With a runner on first and second with two outs in the bottom of the sixth, Clayton Daniel's single started the Jacksonville State rally by scoring Josh Bobo from second. Preseason All-Ohio Valley Conference selection Paschal Petrongolo followed with a three-run homer over the right field fence to complete the turnaround.
WKU's starting pitcher Ryan Thurston struck out four batters in 5.0 innings of work, surrendering four earned runs before the Hilltoppers looked to their bullpen. Sam Higgs, who was credited the loss in the game, was followed out of the pen by John Harman and Jackson Sowell. Closing out the final two innings, Sowell retired all six batters he faced and struck out three to lower his season ERA to a team-best 0.96 in six appearances this year.
Leadoff hitter Steven Kraft continued his fine start to the year by going 2-for-5. Kraft has already doubled his amount of multi-hit games this season (6) compared to 2015, and he already has more runs (14), hits (15) and RBI (10) through 11 games than he did a year ago.
