NEW ORLEANS - Western Kentucky rallied with three runs in the ninth inning to take an improbable 7-6 win at New Orleans on Saturday.
Casey Dykes capped off the two-out rally with a go-ahead RBI single to help WKU (11-4, 2-0 Sun Belt Conference) win its seventh straight against UNO (3-8, 0-2).
Dykes had two hits, and Kes Carter went 2-for-4 - including a home run for the second straight day - to clinch the series for the Hilltoppers.
Rye Davis worked around two hits to pick up his third save. Davis was one of seven Hilltopper pitchers, as reliever Ross Hammonds (1-0) was credited with the win after working a scoreless eighth inning.
Mats Mattson (1-1) picked up the loss after giving up three hits and three runs.
The ninth inning spoiled a brilliant outing from UNO starter John Pivach. The junior right-hander went seven innings and gave up just four runs (two earned) while allowing only three hits. He struck out five, though he did struggle with six walks.
Mike Petello led the UNO offense with three hits and an RBI, and senior catcher Tyler Sanford went 2-for-3, including a two-run triple. The Privateers had five players record multiple hits, and UNO tallied 13 hits overall.
The Privateers seemed set to even the three-game series after taking a 6-4 lead into the ninth. Mattson got the first two hitters he faced before running into trouble.
Carter got the rally going with a home run, and Matt Rice followed with a single to left field. After pinch-runner Logan Robbins advanced to second on a wild pitch, Ryan Huck tied the game with an RBI single up the middle.
Right-hander Kevin DeGrouttola relieved Mattson, but Dykes got ahead in the count and laced a single to center - plating Huck.
The Privateers got the potential tying run in scoring position in the bottom of the ninth, but Davis recorded back-to-back strikeouts to end it.
The two teams will wrap up the series at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
