Sports Headlines

Wilcox Homers Twice, WKU Rallies but Falls to South Alabama 8-7 inWeekend Finale

Posted: 4:43 PM May 13, 2012
Reporter: Melissa Anderson - WKU Athletic Media Relations

MOBILE, Ala. — The Western Kentucky University baseball team rallied for five runs over the final three innings but fell just short as South Alabama held on for an 8-7 victory over the Hilltoppers in the second game of Sunday’s doubleheader at Stanky Field.

WKU (21-30, 11-16 Sun Belt Conference) tallied two runs in the ninth and had the tying run at third but couldn’t overcome six early runs by South Alabama (20-31, 14-13). The Hilltoppers outhit the Jaguars 12-8 but stranded 15 runners on base, including the bases loaded in the eighth and ninth innings.

Right-hander Justin Hageman (3-5) allowed six runs – five earned -- on four hits with four walks and three strikeouts in 3-2/3 innings.

Jaguars starter Payton Gardner (0-5) was touched for two runs – one earned – on five hits in 5-1/3 innings, while striking out five and walking five. South Alabama reliever Kyle Bartsch earned his 10th save of the year after recording the final out of the game.

Hilltoppers shortstop Scott Wilcox went 2-for-4 with two home runs, a pair of RBIs and two walks. The two-homer game is the first of his career while his fifth-inning home run extended his hitting streak to 11 games.

Center fielder Jared Andreoli, left fielder Matthew Paculan and catcher Ryan Messex each added a pair of hits while Andreoli and Messex both had RBI singles. Third baseman Casey Dykes had a double, two RBIs and walked four times.

The Jaguars took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning behind an RBI single by left fielder Whitt Dorsey, who then came in to score on a passed ball.

WKU cut the South Alabama advantage to 2-1 in the top of the fourth inning on a run-scoring single by Messex.

USA jumped in front 6-1 with a four-run bottom of the fourth inning. A bases-loaded walk by Dorsey and a three-run double by center fielder Jordan Patterson accounted for the scoring.

A solo home run by Wilcox, his third of the season, cut the Jaguars lead to 6-2 in the top of the fifth.

The Hilltoppers got a run in the top of the seventh on the second solo home run of the game by Wilcox to make the score 6-3.

South Alabama added a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh on a two-run home run by right fielder Nolan Early.

WKU pushed two runs across in the top of the eighth inning when Dykes drew a bases-loaded walk and right fielder Ryan Hutchison was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, making it 8-5.

In the top of the ninth, the Hilltoppers cut the lead to 8-7 behind an RBI single by Andreoli and a bases-loaded walk by Dykes.

Redshirt senior Ross Hammonds gave up a pair of runs on four hits with a strikeout over the final 4-1/3 innings.

The Hilltopper end the regular-season with a four-game homestand beginning Tuesday against Eastern Kentucky with first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m. at Nick Denes Field. Middle Tennessee then comes to town for a three-game Sun Belt series, May 17-19.