BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -- In a contest that saw a combined 30 hits, WKU's (18-12, 6-5 C-USA) bats could not quite keep up with Louisiana Tech (17-10, 5-6 C-USA) on Saturday as the Hilltoppers dropped a wild 12-9 decision in Game 2 of the series.
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Sunday's rubber game will start at 1 p.m. CT at Nick Denes Field, with the game to be streamed live on WKUSports.tv as part of the broadcasting package. Fans can also listen to the game locally in Bowling Green on 1450 AM and 102.7 FM or online at WKUSports.tv. Junior left-handed pitcher Ryan Thurston (3-0, 3.63 ERA) will be on the mound for WKU, while the southpaw Tyler Clancy (3-2, 4.28 ERA) will get the ball for Louisiana Tech.
The 30 combined hits in the game were the most in a game that the Hilltoppers had been a part of this season, with 13 of those coming from the Tops. The 21 runs put up by the two teams were the most for a Conference USA game that WKU has been in this season, matching the total from the 11-10 win over South Alabama earlier in the year. All but one starter for head coach John Pawlowski registered a hit.
Only a pair of the runs came after the top of the sixth as WKU scored in each of the first five innings of the game before being shutout in the final four. The Bulldogs combined for six runs over the fourth, fifth and sixth frames before tacking on two more in their final at-bat to complete the scoring.
After giving up three in the top of the fifth, the Hilltoppers would respond with two runs of their own in the bottom half. With Grant Malott at third and Zach Janes at first with two outs, senior Danny Hudzina delivered another clutch hit by roping a double into the left-field corner to put WKU up 9-8. Hudzina finished 3-for-5 on the day with two runs batted in and a run scored. Janes extended his reached-base streak to 18 games by going 1-for-4 with two runs, one RBI and one walk.
The lead would be the last for the Hilltoppers as Louisiana Tech pushed across two in the next inning to go up 10-9 before tacking on the final two in the ninth. Paul Murray continued his hot hitting, tallying two hits and an RBI in the loss. Steven Kraft was the other WKU player to have multiple hits, producing a 2-for-6 game with two runs and another batted in.
Starting pitching will be key in Sunday's finale as both clubs combined to use 11 pitchers in the second game of the series, with Pawlowski using six on the day. Kevin Elder was charged with the loss, while LA Tech's Nate Harris earning the win after taking over in the fifth. Logan Weins, Evan Acosta, Micah Kaczor and John Harman all made relief appearances after starting pitcher Josh Bartley went 3.2 innings.
