Sanford reaches base five times in Western Kentucky loss
Team Nova Scotia alum Jake Sanford (Dartmouth, N.S.) reached base five times for the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers on Saturday in their 17-12 loss to UTSA. Photo: WKU Athletics (file photo)
April 27, 2019
By Bryan Fyalkowski
WKU Athletics
UTSA OUT-SLUGS TOPPERS, 17-12, TO SET UP SUNDAY RUBBER MATCH
SAN ANTONIO, Texas — In a complete 180 of the series-opening game, UTSA out-slugged WKU Baseball en route to a 17-12 win on Saturday afternoon. First baseman Matt Phipps led the way, tying his career-high with four hits while adding three runs batted in and two runs scored.
“When we took batting practice we knew the ball was really carrying today and any ball that was elevated could leave the park,” head coach John Pawlowski. “You just saw a typical college baseball game where the hitters absolutely were in command all day on both sides.”
Center fielder Jake Sanford reached base in 5-of-6 plate appearances with three hits and a pair of walks. He also hit his 19th home run of the season in the third inning, a solo shot to the opposite field. With his 19th long ball, Sanford moved into the top 10 all-time in single-season dingers in Hilltopper history, tying Chad Cregar (2009) and Paul Knuth (1981) for eighth on the charts.
Each team scored at least one run in each of the first three innings, as WKU and UTSA were knotted at 5-5 going into the fourth. The score stayed the same through scoreless frames in the fourth and fifth, before the Hilltoppers struck for a pair in the top of the sixth.
With two outs and the bases loaded, Phipps slapped a 3-2 pitch into right-center field for a two-run single that gave WKU a 7-5 lead.
It did not last long, however, as the Roadrunners responded with seven runs in the bottom of the frame to take a 12-7 advantage; a three-run homerun by Bryan Sturges and a three-run triple by Griffin Paxton being the big hits.
The Hilltoppers pushed across two runs in the seventh and three more in the eighth to get to 12, but UTSA matched each scoring output to get to 17 tallies and sustain a five-run lead.
Topper Notes
-Left fielder Ray Zuberer III got things started with a bang, launching the first pitch of the game from Roadrunner righty Slater Faust over the left-field fence for a leadoff homerun. It was the second long ball of the season for the Owensboro native and the sixth of his career on The Hill.
-Zuberer finished the game 2-for-6 with three runs batted in to tie a career-high, while adding his ninth outfield assist of the year in the seventh inning, gunning down a runner at third base attempting to tag up on a fly ball just shy of the warning track.
-Right fielder Jack Wilson went 2-for-6 with his 13th double of the season, while also scoring one run and driving in another. It was the 15th multi-hit performance his year for the Elizabethtown native, who has reached base at least twice in seven of his last eight games.
-Second baseman Nick Brunson went 2-for-4 with a walk, two runs scored and one run batted in. Since being inserted into the starting lineup 14 games ago, the Champaign, Ill., native has produced six multi-hit efforts.
-Catcher Collin Hopkins went 1-for-2 with one walk, one hit by pitch and one sacrifice bunt. His base hit came in the top of the eighth with two outs and a pair of runners in scoring position, bringing WKU to within a 14-12 deficit with a two-run single into center field.
Up Next
The Hilltoppers and Roadrunners will play a rubber match for Game 3 on Sunday with first pitch at 12 p.m. Righty Joe Filosa will start for WKU, while UTSA has not disclosed a starting pitcher at this time.