BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - With a run in the top of the 11th inning, Lipscomb University edged the Western Kentucky University baseball team 7-6 for an extra-inning victory Tuesday night at Nick Denes Field.
Bisons catcher Taylor Stewart led off the top of the 11th with a single and after advancing to second on a wild pitch, came in to score on a single by left fielder M. L. Williams.
WKU (17-24) threatened in the bottom of the ninth with runners at first and second and no outs but failed to drive in the winning run. Lipscomb (18-23) out hit the Hilltoppers 12-10 and earned the victory despite committing two errors.
"We had opportunities, but unfortunately we let it go to a point that we gave them a chance to get back in it and they did," WKU coach Matt Myers said.
WKU freshman Brennan Pearson (1-2) was touched for one run on three hits with a walk in the 11th.
Bisons left-hander Gil Rehwinkel (4-2) threw three shutout innings to close the game, allowing one hit, a walk and striking out two. He retired the final nine batters he faced.
Offensively, WKU center fielder Jared Andreoli went 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles and an RBI. First baseman Scott Wilcox, third baseman Casey Dykes and right fielder Ryan Hutchison each tallied a pair of hits and at least one RBI. Hutchison drove in two with his five home run of the season. Second baseman Blake Crabtree also added two hits.
"(Jared) Androeli had a great night," Myers said. "He is our glue. When we get (Ivan) Hartle back and get those guys going and we get a chance to get in this (Sun Belt) tournament, we are going to be a different offense than what people have seen all year."
The Hilltoppers took an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning behind an RBI single by Dykes and a two-run home run by Hutchison.
An RBI double by Lipscomb shortstop Aaron Sandoval cut the WKU lead to 3-1 in the top of the second.
The Bisons knotted the score at 3-3 in the top of the fourth on a two-run double by second baseman Jonathan Craycraft.
WKU pulled back in front 5-3 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth. An RBI single by Andreoli drove in the first run and Crabtree scored from third on a double-play ball off the bat of Wilcox.
Lipscomb took a 6-5 lead with three runs in the top of the fifth. An RBI single by first baseman Zak Messer and a two-run single by Sandoval accounted for the scoring.
The Hilltoppers got an RBI single from Wilcox to tie the game at 6-6 in the bottom of the sixth inning. Catcher Ryan Messex scored on the play after reaching on a walk.
WKU freshman Ian Tompkins allowed six runs on six hits in four innings with three walks. He matched a career-high with six strikeouts. Junior Colton Satterlee worked three scoreless innings, giving up three hits with two walks and a strikeout. Redshirt freshman Tate Glasscock worked a 1-2-3 eighth inning and sophomore right-hander Justin Hageman retired six straight in the ninth and 10th innings.
Bisons starter Davey Hackett gave up five runs on six hits with three walks and three strikeouts in three innings.
The Hilltoppers return to action at 6 p.m. Wednesday when they welcome Austin Peay to Nick Denes Field. Following a three-game weekend series against Louisiana-Monroe, WKU wraps its nine-game homestand May 1 against Louisville at Bowling Green Ballpark.
