WKU wins first road game of year against SIU 6-4

Austin Lanter

After losing three straight games, the WKU baseball team was able to defeat Southern Illinois 6-4 Monday.

After suffering a 6-1 loss to SIU the day before, the Toppers were able to generate more offense Monday to win its first road game of the season in its third try.

WKU (4-6) scored six runs on eight hits Monday to win the game even though SIU had 11 hits in the game.

The Toppers were able to jump out in front in the second inning, getting a run across the plate, and then extended its lead the next inning by another run.

In the second inning, senior infielder Ryan Huck was able to get on base and later score on an RBI by freshman outfielder Anderson Miller.

The next inning, freshman infielder Thomas Peter started the inning off with a double. Two batters later, junior outfielder Regan Flaherty singled to center field to score Peter and give WKU a 2-0 lead.

SIU would score its first run of the game in the fourth inning and tie the game the next inning on an unearned run.

The Salukis would take its first lead of the game in the seventh inning, but the lead would not last for long.

The Topper offense broke through in the eighth inning, sending 10 batters to the plate, recording two hits and scoring four runs to retake the lead 6-3.

Southern Illinois got a run back in the bottom half of the inning, but nothing more than that, leaving two runners on base and scoring the final run of the game as neither team generated anything in the ninth.

For the second straight game, however, the WKU pitching staff did not record 10 strikeouts, something they did seven of eight times in its first eight games.

Senior pitcher Tim Bado started the game and pithed 5.2 innings, recorded five strikeouts, allowed seven hits, and two runs, only one of which was earned.

Junior pitchers Jake Thompson and Tanner Perkins pitched in relief of Bado, with Perkins earning the win for the game. Perkins pitched one inning, allowed two hits and one run. The win is Perkins second of the year.

Senior pitcher Taylor Haydel is credited with the save for the game and pitched two innings and allowed one hit and no runs.

WKU will be back in action Tuesday at home against Austin Peay at 3 p.m. The two teams will square off again the next day, also at 3 p.m. in Clarksville, Tenn.