HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Marshall jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the first three innings and secured an 8-2 win over WKU Baseball on Friday afternoon. The Thundering Herd improved to 7-6 in Conference USA action, while the Hilltoppers fell to 7-5-1.
Righty Collin Lollar started for WKU, allowing six earned runs on six walks and three hits in 2.1 innings pitched. One of those hits was a two-run homerun by shortstop Elvis Peralta with two outs in the third to make it a 4-0 score.
Marshall added three more in the third against Lollar and reliever Eric Crawford to push its lead to 7-0.
Richard Constantine accounted for the Hilltoppers' first tally with a solo homerun to lead off the fourth frame, his third dinger in the past four games.
Only one more Thundering Herd player crossed home against Crawford, and that was in the fifth when a two-out pop fly by Peralta fell between three WKU fielders for a bad-luck double. Overall, Crawford fired 4.2 frames, allowing two runs on six hits and three walks.
The Hilltoppers threatened in the eighth when Nick Brunson led off with a hit, then Aidan Elias and Jack Wilson followed with walks to load the bases with zero outs against starter Joshua Shapiro.
With one out against reliever Bryan Callaly, Jake Sanford rolled an infield single to bring home Brunson for his 47th run batted in of the season. The next WKU hitter up, Dillon Nelson, lined into an unassisted double play by the Marshall shortstop to end the threat.
Righty Reese Brewer fired a 1-2-3 eighth frame with a strikeout. The righty from Arlington, Tenn., has not allowed a run in 3.2 innings across five appearances so far this year.
Up Next
Due to weather concerns on Sunday, the Hilltoppers and Thundering Herd have decided to cap the series with a doubleheader on Saturday, April 13. First pitch from Kennedy Center Field will be at 10 a.m. CT.
Western Kentucky University Athletics
- Champions Climb Here
- WKU Athletics
- Athletic Director
- Academic Services
- Annual Report
- Athletic Communications
- Athletic Hall of Fame
- Athletic Training
- Big Red
- CLIMB Program - NIL
- Compliance
- Facilities
- Financial Reports
- For Students
- Student Employment
- Forms/Requests
- Book Big Red
- Donation Requests
- Site Feedback
- For Fans
- Hilltopper Highlights
- Gameday Promotions
- Alumni Tailgates
- Big Red's Rascals
- Basketball Gameday
- Football Gameday
- Mobile Tickets
- Travel Center
- Tickets
- Give
