Shoemake relieved starter Reece Calvert in the top of the third, inheriting a bases-loaded jam and a 1-0 WKU lead. Although he walked in a run to begin his appearance, the lefty got the next Norse batter to pop into a double play to end the threat and keep it a tie game. The Glasgow native would face the minimum over his next four frames of work, with only one hit allowed - then inducing a 5-4-3 double play on the next pitch - and five strikeouts.
He threw 36-of-61 pitches for strikes, and the Hilltoppers had a 19-1 lead by the time he was replaced on the mound to begin the eighth inning.
Phipps was perfect in five plate appearances, going 3-for-3 with two walks. He scored two runs and drove in four, including three that came on a homerun in the fourth inning to cap a seven-run frame and push the lead to 9-1. A nine-run seventh inning accounted for the other bulk of WKU runs. The Hilltoppers sent 12 to the plate in the fourth and 13 to the dish in the seventh.
Designated hitter Richard Constantine was also perfect in the box, going 3-for-3 with three walks. He scored three runs and drove in two, including an RBI single into left field that gave WKU a 1-0 lead in the opening frame.
In all, three other Hilltoppers had multi-hit games, six others had multi-run games and three others had multi-RBI games. Second baseman Joey Schwartz was the other Hilltopper to draw a pair of walks.
Topper Notes
- It was the first opening-series sweep for WKU since defeated Bowling Green three times to open the 2011 season. That year, the Hilltoppers started out 5-0 with wins over Lipscomb and Kansas State that followed.
- The WKU offense went 16-for-39 at the plate with 10 walks and five times hit by pitch, reaching base at a 31-for-55 clip as a team. The 19 runs were the most scored by the Hilltoppers at Nick Denes Field since a 20-7 win over VCU on March 28, 2009.
- WKU hit seven doubles for the first time since May 10, 2014 at UT Arlington, and the Hilltoppers were hit by pitch five times for the first time since March 12, 2016 vs. Albany.
- Freshman center fielder Jackson Swiney's three hits tied for most on the team, while infielder Jack Wilson's threes runs scored and four driven in tied for a WKU best.
Topper Quotes
- "To get that Friday night win and Saturday in that extra-inning game, the big test was how our guys were going to respond today after winning the first two. They came out very professional, work-like attitude in preparation for a tough challenge today. I thought Reece Calvert did a good job, Dalton Shoemake threw the ball very well, and can't say enough about what our offense did, they were outstanding today." — Head coach John Pawlowski.
- "When I came here everybody had the mindset that we're going to win, and that just showed this weekend. I loved everybody's energy in the dugout, it was great. It was a good overall weekend for us." — Infielder Davis Sims.
- "I just have to thank all my teammates, the first game I kind of struggled my first three at-bats but I tried to stay locked in throughout all three games. I just tried to stay with my approach in the middle of the field, find pitches and drive them. For my confidence, this puts me on the right track." — Catcher Matt Phipps.
Up Next
The Hilltoppers travel to Lipscomb on Tuesday, Feb. 19 for a 4 p.m. game against the Bisons. Lipscomb split its first two games against visiting Valparaiso before the series finale was canceled a few innings into the contest on Sunday due to inclement weather. WKU has a 42-38-1 all-time record against the Bisons. The teams did not play last season for the first time since 2010.
