WKU drops first SBC series of season

Austin Lanter

For the first time this season, the WKU baseball team dropped a Sun Belt conference series over the weekend.

The Toppers had a rare off-series, going 2-1 in three games at Arkansas State.

WKU (17-15, 8-4 Sun Belt Conference) sent ace Tanner Perkins to the mound for game one of the series against ASU (19-14, 6-6 SBC) on Friday and for the first time this season, Perkins lost a start (2-1).

For just the second time this season, WKU was blanked, falling to the Red Wolves 6-0. ASU scored a run in the third inning and then tallied five runs in the seventh.

In all, Perkins pitched 6.1 innings and allowed eight hits in the first game of the series.

WKU wasted no time striking on Saturday though, plating one run in the first inning off an RBI single by senior catcher Devin Kelly.

The team scored another run in the sixth and two in the eighth to defeat ASU 4-2 and tie the series 1-1.

Junior pitcher Andrew Edwards, who pitched a complete game shutout last weekend against Louisiana-Lafayette, earned the win on Saturday with senior Taylor Haydel getting the save, his fourth of the year.

The Toppers were led by senior Ryan Huck, who had three hits, while Kelly and senior Blake Crabtree each tallied two on the day.

On Sunday, neither team was able to break through and plate a run until the sixth inning when the Red Wolves scored two off of senior pitcher Tim Bado. The Tops tied the game the very next inning with two runs of their own and then took the lead in the eighth 3-2.

The bottom of the eighth proved to be the difference, however, when ASU plated three runs to win the game 5-3.

Sophomore pitcher Austin Clay was credited with the loss on Sunday, pitching .2 innings and allowing three hits and three runs.

WKU will be back in action Tuesday against Louisville at 6 p.m. at the Bowling Green Ball Park.

The Cardinals are 25-6 overall this season and are currently ranked No. 9 in the nation. They are led by junior Ty Young, who has knocked in 34 runs this season on .376 hitting.

The game will be Cancer Awareness night and WKU will wear pink jerseys. Any cancer survivor will receive a free ticket to the game as well as a free t-shirt.