Troy falls to Western Kentucky

TROY – A late-inning meltdown by Troy’s bullpen helped Western Kentucky get just two wins away from a second consecutive Sun Belt Tournament title.

Hilltopper hitters teed off against Troy relief pitchers Jeff Green and Chris Sorce, scoring six runs in the eighth on the way to a 14-11 win. The Hilltoppers scored 11 runs in the final four frames.

Wade Gaynor hit a two-run double that bounced off the glove of a diving right fielder Charley Williams to give WKU a 10-9 lead. Chad Cregar then bombed a two-run homer to right for a 12-9 lead.

WKU will play the winner of the 12:30 p.m. game Friday between Troy and UL-Monroe. That winner will have to beat WKU twice – once late Friday night and once Saturday morning—to make it to the championship Saturday.

Troy fought back in the eighth as Trevor Tyre doubled and scored on Daryl Otwell’s double. Miles Hoyle’s RBI single made it 12-11, but after a sacrifice bunt, reliever Bart Carter struck out Steven Felix and got Adam Bryant to ground out to end the inning.

Chad Watson reached on a single to lead off the ninth, but was erased when Charley Williams hit into a double play. Carter then struck out Trevor Tyre to end the game.

WKU got two in the ninth on a two-run single from Jared Andreoli.

Sorce, a second-team all-conference performer, took the loss. Evan Teague got the win for WKU.

A four run fourth inning helped Troy take a lead on WKU. Charley Williams drilled a 3-2 pitch to deep center for a bases-clearing triple, giving Troy a 5-3 lead. The Trojans went up 6-3 when Daryl Otwell hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Williams.

Troy scored in the first off WKU starter Matt Ridings when Brett Henry singled in Trevor Tyre, who had walked. The Trojans loaded the bases with two outs, but Ridings struck out Michael Precise to keep the score 1-0.

WKU tied it at 1-1 when Chad Cregar led off the second with a monster home run to right-center field.

In the third, Jake Wells led off with a double for WKU. Two batters later, Matt Hightower launched a two-run homer over the center field fence. It was the third home run of the year for Hightower, who won the league’s Pitcher of the Year award.

WKU wasted a rally in the top of the fifth. Troy pitcher Tyler Ray struck out the first two hitters, but issued two walks. No. 3 hitter Wade Gaynor, who has 22 homers on the year, then grounded into a fielder’s choice to end the threat.

The Hilltoppers cut the lead to 6-5 in the sixth. Ray walked Cregar to lead off the inning. He stole second and after two outs, scored on Matt Payton’s RBI single.

Tim Wheeler came in to pitch with a 2-0 count on Jake Wells. He got two strikes on him, but Wells doubled down the right field line. Payton then scored on a wild pitch. Wheeler then got No. 9 hitter Logan Robbins to swing at a 3-0 pitch and line it softly right back to Wheeler to end the inning.

Troy got three back in the bottom of the sixth against four WKU relief pitchers. Daryl Otwell and Brett Henry each hit RBI singles and Otwell scored on a wild pitch, giving the Trojans a 9-5 lead.

Jared Andreoli’s solo homer led off the seventh and chased Wheeler for Jeff Green.