WKU Outlasts Troy In 11 Innings, 6-4

Sunday, March 22

Troy

1:00 PM

Troy University

Western Kentucky

3/22/2009 5:00:00 AM | Baseball

Like a pair of heavyweight fighters, the Troy Trojans and Western Kentucky Hilltoppers battled tooth and nail Sunday afternoon in the rubber game of a weekend Sun Belt Conference series.

While Troy chipped away at WKU all afternoon, it was the Hilltoppers who continually delivered haymakers to finally put the game away, winning 6-4 in 11 innings.

WKU improved to 14-6 overall and 8-1 in the Sun Belt with the win while dropping Troy to 12-9 overall and 2-4 in league play.

The WKU duo of Wade Gaynor and Chad Cregar were constant thorns in the Trojans sides all weekend. On Sunday, the pair combined to drive in five of six Hilltoppers runs.

For eight innings, Troy senior Travis Burge kept the potent bats from Western Kentucky silent, but that ended when Gaynor, the leading hitter in the Sun Belt Conference, hit a first pitch fastball over the wall in dead center for a two-out, two-run homer.

“Travis pitched a fine game and gave us a chance,” Troy coach Bobby Pierce said. “We had a base open when Gaynor came up in the eighth and we wanted to pitch around him, but Travis left the first pitch about belt buckle high and Gaynor did what he has been doing all year.”

Burge worked eight innings in the game, allowing just two runs on six hits while striking out three. WKU starter Shane Cameron was just as good, going 7 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on eight hits with three strikeouts.

The Trojans absorbed the blow from the Hilltoppers and had chances to win the game in both the eighth and ninth innings, but were never able to deliver a clutch hit.

The Hilltoppers delivered another body blow in the 10th inning, scoring twice off junior Chris Sorce. A single by Logan Robbins, who proceeded to steal second, losing a tooth in the process, was followed by an intentional walk to Gaynor. Creger followed with a double to score Robbins. After a walk loaded the bases, Gaynor scored on a ground out, giving WKU a 4-2 lead.

The Trojans appeared to be out of the game at that point but, with one out in the bottom of the inning, Michael Precise drew a walk and Ryan Ditthardt followed with a single off reliver Bart Carter (2-1). Brett Henry then doubled off the wall in right to score one and Mile Hoyle followed with a sacrifice fly, knotting the score at 4-4.

Again, Troy had a chance to win the game but, after Trevor Tyre was intentionally walked, Steven Felix struck out on a 3-2 fastball to end the inning.

“I am really proud of the effort and the determination our team played with today,” Pierce said. “If we can continue to get that kind of effort, then we will have a chance down the stretch.”

The Hilltoppers came right back in the 11th, scoring twice off Jason Howell (0-1). After retiring the first man he faced, Howell walked catcher C.J. Wamsley and then surrendered a double to Jeremy Coleman. Robbins then drew a walk from J.J. Whetsel, loading the bases for Gaynor.

The junior didn't let the chance pass him by, delivering a solid single to center to score two for a 6-4 WKU lead.

The Trojans tried to answer again in the bottom of the inning, getting a leadoff double from Bart Pettus. J.R. Myers was then hit by a pitch with one out, bringing Precise and Ditthardt to the plate with a chance to tie or win the game. Unlike Saturday's game, the duo failed to deliver this time as senior Chad Adcock got Precise to fly to center before striking out Ditthardt to end the game, earning his first save.

Gaynor, Creger, Coleman and Mitt Rice had two hits each to lead WKU while Henry had three hits to lead Troy. Myers and Pettus, who homered for the second time in the series, had two hits each for Troy.

The Trojans will be back in action on Tuesday night at Jacksonville State before returning to Riddle-Pace Field on Wednesday to face Auburn. The game at JSU is set for a 6:30 p.m. start while Wednesday's game is scheduled for a 6 p.m. start.