Send Hilltoppers Rally Past #19 Louisville 8-1 at Bowling Green Ballpark

Posted: 9:02 PM May 1, 2012
Reporter: Melissa Anderson, WKU Athletic Media Relations

WKU 8, Louisville 1

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - Western Kentucky University infielders Casey Dykes and Steve Hodgins combined for five RBIs and pitcher Ian Tompkins allowed one run over six innings Tuesday night to lift the Hilltoppers past No. 18 Louisville in front of 2, 323 fans at Bowling Green Ballpark.

With the game tied 1-1 after five innings, WKU (19-26) scored seven unanswered runs in the sixth and seventh innings to even the season series with Louisville (31-14). The Hilltoppers are now 4-0 in game played at the Bowling Green Ballpark.

"It is magical for us right now," WKU coach Matt Myers said. "I told them yesterday, this is a place that we've got a lot of pride in. The community's come out and supported us so well over the last three years in these games with UK and UL.

"Now with the tournament here, I've told these guys this is our place. You've got to make sure we go down to Florida this weekend and get our rear ends back into this tournament because you guys do some special things here."

Tompkins (3-2) limited the Cardinals to one run on four hits in a career-high six innings. The freshman left-hander walked four and struck out two while combining with catcher Ryan Messex to catch a runner stealing second and pick off two other runners.

Louisville left-hander Cody Ege (0-1) faced two batters and allowed two runs on one hit with a walk.

WKU first baseman Ryan Huck went 3-for-4 with two runs and Hodgins went 2-for-4 at the plate with a career-high three RBIs. Dykes added a pair of hits with two RBIs and center fielder Jared Andreoli also had a pair of hits. Second baseman Scott Wilcox and right fielder Ryan Hutchison each tallied an RBI.

The Hilltoppers took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning as Huck, after advancing from first to third on a double by Messex, came home on a throwing error by the Louisville center fielder Cole Sturgeon.

The Cardinals knotted the score at 1-1 on a sacrifice fly by center fielder Cole Sturgeon in the top of the third inning.

WKU sent nine batters to the plate in a four-run bottom of the sixth inning to make the score 5-1. Back-to-back RBI singles by Wilcox and Dykes along with a two-run single by Hodgins accounted for the scoring.

The Hilltoppers added three runs in the bottom of the seventh to extend their lead to 8-1. Back-to-back RBI doubles by Dykes and Hutchison pushed the first two runs across before a run-scoring single by Hodgins capped the scoring.

WKU freshman Brennan Pearson and Tate Glasscock along with sophomore Justin Hageman each worked a scoreless inning in relief of Tompkins. Glasscock issued a walk and struck out one.

Louisville starter Chad Green worked five innings, allowing an unearned run on three hits with a walk and five strikeouts.

The Hilltoppers return to action this weekend with a three-game series against league-leading Florida Atlantic. Game times are scheduled for 5 p.m. Friday, 3 p.m. Saturday and Noon Sunday. WKU then closes out its Sun Belt road schedule at South Alabama, May 11-13.

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