WKU Above .500, Beat Austin Peay 5-2
Joshua Lindsey/Daily News
WKU continues their hot playing, especially at home, and defeated the Austin Peay Governors by a score of 5-2 to open play in April, and climb above .500, after dipping below the winning-mark for the first time since opening day all year over the weekend by dropping the final two games of the ULL series.
The Hilltoppers (15-14) got most of their offensive production from hot hitter Ryan Messex, who doubled twice, drove in two runners, and crossed the plate himself. Scott Wilcox also drove in two runners with a double in the seventh inning, plating the returned and healthy Cody Wofford as well as Leiff Clarkson. Wofford also went 2-for-4 in his second game back in the lineup (and first game back at shortstop) since suffering an injury in the second game against UGA.
Freshman starting pitcher Sam Higgs improved to 4-2 on the year, and went 5 complete innings, allowing just four hits and a single run. The Tops bullpen – Tate Glasscock, Ian Tompkins and Brennan Pearson – combined for 4 innings of five hit ball, and holding the Govs offense to just a second run. Between Classcock and Tompkins, eight Austin Peay batters went back to the dugout on strikes.
Taking the loss for Austin Peay (10-18) was Caleb DeLee (1-2), who saw his near atmospheric ERA dip below 9 (8.05), but did allow three runs over 6 innings, but did K four Toppers batters. While DeLee’s reliever, Zach Walton, didn’t help him out that much (two runs on just one hit in one-third of an inning after three batters faced), the backend of the Governors bullpen kept the Tops quiet, combining for 1.2 innings and allowing just two hits (three total base runners).
In this morning’s preview, I said I liked the WKU matchup against Austin Peay, and turned out to be right! The AP hitting did what I thought they’d do (not much), and the pitching did more or less what I thought they’d do (effective at times, but still give up runs).
This is a good win for the Tops, especially heading into their second game of the midweek tomorrow against Lipscomb (a team that hung 10 runs on them in Nashville earlier this year).
Tonight, rest easy Hilltopper Nation. When you wake up tomorrow, not only are the baseball Tops in action, but the only rendition of The 90 Miles of Hate of the 2013-2014 athletic year takes place at the Softball Complex.
Cause it’s great. To be. A Western Topper.
Stand up and cheers.