NEW ORLEANS – Western Kentucky rallied from behind for the second
straight day and proceeded to score six runs in the 10th inning for a
13-7 win over the University of New Orleans at Maestri Field on Sunday.
Trailing 7-6 entering the ninth inning, WKU (12-4, 3-0 Sun Belt) knotted the score at seven when Kes Carter singled in Blake Crabtree, forcing extra innings.
Once in the extra frame, the Hilltoppers took a 9-7 lead on Matt Borgschulte's two-run home run and added an additional four insurance runs to provide the final margin.
The late effort by WKU thwarted a UNO (3-9, 0-3 SBC) rally from a 5-1 deficit in which the Privateers scored in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings to move ahead 7-6.
Mike Petello and
Nick Schwaner provided the fireworks during the comeback effort with home runs in the sixth and seventh inning, respectively.
Petello hit a two-run shot to bring the Privateers within two at 5-3 before Schwaner knotted the score at six with his three-run blast in the seventh.
With the score tied, UNO head coach
Bruce Peddie inserted
Rodarrick Jones and
Nolan Church in the lineup in the eighth. Both reached base with Jones stealing a base and eventually scoring on a
Kevin Berry sacrifice fly to move ahead,
The Privateers were in the position of having to come from behind after a sixth inning grand slam by Jake Wells broke a 1-1 tie. The grand slam came off of Privateer
Jim McGonigle, who departed the game after throwing six innings and allowing six hits on five runs.
Andrew Richardson (0-2) took the loss by allowing four runs over three innings, including the Borgschulte blast. Rye Davis (2-0) was the winner for WKU after holding the Privateers allowing one run over two innings of work.
Carter was the top hitter on the day for WKU, hitting 3-for-6 with two RBIs. Three other Hilltoppers had two hits apiece, led by Wells, who was 2-for-5 with four RBIs and two runs scored.
Ryan Eden was 4-for-6 for UNO with Schwaner hitting 2-for-5 with three RBIs and two runs.
The Privateers will play their next six games on the road, starting with Southern Miss at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday and continuing on to Southern on Wednesday at 6 p.m. Both out of conference contests will be available on WGSO 990 AM.
