Box Score (PDF)Â | Season Statistics
Interviews: Pawlowski | Thurston
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Down one run in the bottom of the ninth inning, WKU Baseball nearly mounted another Friday evening rally - similar to one week ago on Opening Day. But a strikeout by Jacksonville State closer Justin Hoyt with runners on first and third ended the contest, and the Gamecocks took the first game of the weekend series by a score of 3-2 at Nick Denes Field.
Down to their final hitter, the Hilltoppers sent pinch hitter Chris Rogers to the plate. Rogers worked a 10-pitch walk and was replaced by pinch runner Tyler Robertson, who scrambled to third on a Leiff Clarkson pinch-hit single, also on a full count. Ty Hogan came up as another WKU pinch hitter and struck out on a 2-2 pitch to end the two-hour, 15-minute game.
The Hilltoppers got their best outing from a starting pitcher so far on the young season from Ryan Thurston. The junior lefty went 5.2 innings, allowing three runs - two earned - while posting eight strikeouts, a season-high for a WKU pitcher. Kevin Elder got a call from the bullpen to relieve Thurston in the top of the sixth and finished out the game, retiring all 10 JSU batters on only 35 pitches.
Kevin Lambert and Thomas Peter each picked up multi-hit games; Lambert scored the first Hilltoppers' run of the contest when he led off the third with a single and eventually came around on a Steven DiPuglia RBI ground out. Peter knocked in Hunter Wood in the fourth inning following a double by the starting catcher with two out.
"I thought we pitched really well. Ryan Thurston and Kevin Elder, both of those guys were outstanding," head coach John Pawlowski said. "That's a game where we had a few chances. When we get those opportunities we have to take advantage of them and we weren't quite able to do that today."
"It was good to see our resilience late. We had a chance and I liked the way our hitters fought with two outs in the ninth," Thurston said. "It would have been nice to get a win, but there are things we can work on and we'll get there."
Topper Notes
- Hunter Wood extended his team-leading hitting streak to six games, dating back to 2016. He, along with freshmen Kevin Lambert and Ray Zuberer III, have reached base in all five WKU contests to begin the season. JuCo transfer Nathan Methvin started at first base for the third time and collected his first career hit on The Hill in the sixth inning.
- In two relief appearances, Kevin Elder has thrown a total of 6.1 innings and allowed only three hits. Elder picked up the victory in WKU's game vs. Valparaiso on Feb. 18 when he relieved starter Cody Coll, also in the sixth inning. The redshirt senior righty is approaching 100 career strikeouts in his third season in Bowling Green, currently sitting at 95 in 91 innings.
Play of the Day
Coming up as the team's final hope in the bottom of the ninth, Chris Rogers saw four pitches and faced a 2-2 count. Six pitches later, including four foul balls to - or over - the protective screen, the senior looked at ball four on a 10-pitch free pass. The quality at-bat allowed the Hilltoppers to mount a rally and put 31 pitches on JSU closer Justin Hoyt with two games remaining in the series.
What's Up Next
WKU and JSU face off for game two Saturday, Feb. 25 with first pitch at 1 p.m. at Nick Denes Field. Paul Kirkpatrick takes the ball for the Hilltoppers, while Colton Pate will oppose him from the Gamecocks' side.
