BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - A six-run third inning by Western Kentucky provided all the runs the Hilltoppers would need in a 14-1 victory over New Orleans at Nick Denes Field on Saturday afternoon.
Wade Gaynor led the WKU offense (24-9, 11-3 Sun Belt) with a 2-for-5 performance at the plate, bringing in four RBIs. Terrence Dayleg added three RBIs, after going 3-for-4.
The offensive production was supported on the mound by Matt Ridings (5-0). Ridings allowed one hit over seven innings, walking two and striking out six.
UNO (13-20, 4-10 SBC) fell for the fourth straight game with the offense failing to produce more than five hits a game for the third consecutive outing.
Tyrone Wethers, who batted 2-for-4 in the game, led off the game with a single. The hit stood alone on the scoreboard for the Privateers until
Rodarrick Jones led off the eighth with a double.
Joe Zimmermann (2-3) took the loss on the mound for UNO, pitching at least five innings for the eighth straight start. The freshman right-hander tossed five innings, allowing eight runs on nine hits while striking out six.
Dayleg hit a two-out double to left field in the second inning, bringing home Chad Cregar for the Hilltoppers' first run of the game.
By the time the Privateers retired WKU in the third inning, the home squad had increased their advantage to 7-0. The Hilltoppers batted around the lineup in the frame, walking three times, tallying six hits and scoring six runs.
Zimmermann struck out the final batter he faced in the third, starting a string of four consecutive strikeouts for the UNO starter.
WKU added a run in the fifth with a Gaynor two-run home run providing 2 of 3 runs scored in the sixth.
The Privateers got on the board in the eighth, with Jones leading off the inning with a double, before stealing third and scoring on an
Alan Harris groundout. Three runs in the bottom of the eighth by the Hilltoppers closed the scoring on the day.
WKU and UNO will wrap up their series on Sunday, with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m.
