Richmond, Ky. - Western Kentucky turned a game-ending double play off a leaping catch by second baseman Matt Ransdell, to thwart a ninth-inning Eastern Kentucky (20-25) rally and escape Turkey Hughes Field with an 11-10 win. The two teams engaged in a slugfest over the first two innings, combining for 15 runs before the offenses cooled down.

Trailing 11-9 at the start of the ninth, sophomore Tony Wells followed a leadoff triple by junior Chris O'Dell with a run-scoring single to pull the Colonels within a run. But WKU (16-32) turned to its top starter, Daniel Faulkner, who preserved Western's win thanks to a leaping catch from Ransdell, which robbed junior Sean Ryan of a base hit that would have plated the tying run. Ransdell followed his grab by catching Wells off the bag at second for the third and final out.

Junior Brett Bolger went 4-for-5 with two runs and two RBI in the losing effort, while senior Will Whisenant paced the squad with three RBI. Seniors Bryan Stevenson and Derrick Bussell both scored a team-high three runs in the loss. Ransdell did his part on the offensive end for the Hilltoppers as well, going 4-for-5 with three runs scored.

WKU racked up six hits in the top of the first to take an early 6-0, thanks in part to RBI doubles from Antone Towns and Michael Wilhite. The Colonels responded by plating three runs in the bottom half to make it a 6-3 ballgame. Bussell got things going with a walk and moved up off a single by Bolger. Both runners came around to score moments later as Stevenson delivered a two-run single. Whisenant plated Stevenson with a RBI single to cap off EKU's three-run inning.

The Hilltoppers extended their lead five runs in the second thanks to a two-run single by Eric Wetzel. WKU's five-run cushion wouldn't last long, however, as the Colonels manufactured four runs in the bottom half to pull within a run, 8-7. Back-to-back singles by freshman Lucas Waters and Bussell led to a run-scoring base knock from Bolger. With the bases loaded, Whisenant picked up two more RBI with a single to make it 8-6. O'Dell followed with a sacrifice fly to center, which allowed Stevenson to score from third.

After surrendering eight runs over the first two frames, senior Eric Anthrop held WKU scoreless in the top of the third, and watched as the EKU offense tied the game at 8-all in the bottom half. Bussell started things off by drawing a walk and moved up to second with his 25th stolen base of the year. Bussell came around to score moments later off Bolger's third single of the afternoon.

Anthrop blanked Western again in the fourth but could not match the feat in the fifth, as a RBI sacrifice fly by Jordan Newton put an end to Anthrop's outing. Senior Andy Polzin took the mound with a runner on third and two outs, but could not escape the inning as Marcus Ross crushed a two-run homer to left.

Wells picked up his first of two RBI in the bottom of the sixth with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly. The Hilltoppers went quietly over the next three innings as Polzin, senior Richard Boothe and junior Greg Harper combined to hold Western to one hit over the final three frames.

Facing a 11-9 deficit at the start of the ninth, O'Dell sparked the Colonels with his first triple of the year (a shot to the right field corner). Wells came through with his second RBI of the day and then moved up to second off a sacrifice bunt by senior Adam Visnic. With Wells in scoring position, Ryan ripped a potential game-winning shot to right-center, but Ransdell came up with the ball and turned two to end the game.

Faulkner recorded the final three outs of the game for his first save of the year. J.C. Faircloth (2-4) was one of six pitchers to see action for Western and picked up the win after going 1.1 innings without allowing a hit. Anthrop (0-2) took the loss for EKU after allowing 13 hits and 10 runs over 4.2 innings of work.

Eastern returns to action this weekend when it heads to Clarksville, Tenn., for a three-game conference series with Austin Peay (May 7-8).