NEW ORLEANS ? Western Kentucky designated hitter Chad Cregar launched a two-run home run in the top of the eighth inning to help the Hilltoppers take a 13-12 win over New Orleans on Sunday at Maestri Field.
Cregar, a junior from Oxford, Miss., crushed the first pitch he saw from UNO reliever Jake Henderson (2-1) as the Hilltoppers (19-15, 7-8 Sun Belt Conference) salvaged the final contest of the three-game series.
J.B. Paxson had a career-high four hits and six RBIs, and Matt Hightower had two hits and two runs scored for WKU, which snapped a five-game losing streak against UNO (22-11, 7-7).
The Privateers dropped to 0-5 in the final game of an SBC series this season.
UNO had a chance in the ninth after Ryan Eden hit a one-out, RBI double to cut it to 13-12. The Privateers had the tying run on third and the winning run on second.
But WKU freshman reliever Bryce Jenny struck out Joey Butler and ? after a five-pitch walk to T.J. Baxter ? got Johnny Giavotella to fly out to center to pick up his first career save.
“We did not lose this game at the end,” said UNO associate head coach Bruce Peddie, who served as acting head coach for the second straight day due to head coach Tom Walter attending a memorial service for Jeanette Mattson -- mother of UNO pitcher Mats Mattson ? over the weekend.
“We gave them nine runs and we lose by one. That was the difference in the game.”
Michael Knipper went 3-for-3 with a home run, two RBIs and three runs scored to lead UNO. The junior finished the weekend 8-for-10 with a pair of home runs and four RBIs. He entered the weekend hitting just .232.
Butler added three hits and an RBI, and reserve Jay Morris made his first conference start a good one with three hits and two RBIs.
But the Privateers made mistakes in the field and on the base paths early that helped cost them a weekend sweep. UNO committed four errors in the first three innings that led to nine unearned runs off UNO starter Stephen Whalen.
After a two-out bases-loaded walk put WKU on the board in the first, Paxson ripped a grand slam off Whalen to make it 5-0. The Privateers answered with single runs in the first and second innings before WKU got four more in the third despite tallying just two hits.
UNO made two errors in the frame and trailed 9-2 heading into the fourth. The Privateers, though, put up seven runs to tie it at 9-9 and took a 10-9 lead in the fifth on a solo home run from Knipper.
UNO grabbed a 12-11 lead in the seventh on an RBI single by Morris before Cregar gave WKU the lead for good in the eighth.
WKU reliever Adam Balcom (2-0) was credited with the win.
“The guys did a great job to make it a ball game, but we've got to learn something from a day like this,” Peddie said. “There's no question this loss will hurt for a little while, but we have got to put it behind us pretty quickly.”
UNO will travel to Jackson State for a 6 p.m. contest on Tuesday.
