One rough inning plagued the Valparaiso University baseball team on Sunday afternoon at Nick Denes Field in Bowling Green, Ky. as Western Kentucky’s fourth-inning scoring was the difference in an 11-1 setback for the Brown & Gold. The Valpo bullpen settled in to put up zeros in each of the final four Hilltopper at-bats.

How It Happened

• A single by Jack Wilson in the opening inning started the scoring, but Valpo got that run back in the top of the second as Jeremy Drudge (Plymouth, Ind. / Plymouth) rapped a ground-rule double and eventually zipped home on a wild pitch to even the score at one.
• Valpo received a one-out double from Steven Fitzsimmons (Golden Valley, Minn. / Robbinsdale) in the third, but he was stranded at third. The guests again threatened to take the lead in the fourth when Damon Jorgensen (Blair, Neb. / Blair [Coffeyville]) singled and eventually moved to third, but the Valpo shortstop was cut down trying to score for the final out of the inning.
• Western Kentucky scored 10 in the fourth.
• Valpo pitching returned to form in the fifth frame as Jacob Rosenkranz (Lincolnshire, Ill. / Stevenson) put a zero on the board. He gave way to a string of relievers – Zach Fricke (Arlington, Ill. / Buffalo Grove), Alex Rodriguez (Bourbonnais, Ill. / Bradley-Bourbonnais) and Josh Currier (Mokena, Ill. / Lincoln Way Central) – each of whom tossed a scoreless inning.   
• Valpo loaded the bases in the sixth but did not score – the team’s most significant offensive threat in the second half of the contest.

Inside the Game

• WKU pitcher Aristotle Peter scattered eight hits and two walks while tossing a complete game.
• Jorgensen stayed hot with a three-hit day, while Schmack also enjoyed a multi-hit contest.
• Jorgensen notched his team-leading sixth multi-hit game of the season, while Schmack registered his fifth.
• Jorgensen owns a seven-game hitting streak, the team’s longest of the season, and he and Fitzsimmons both own 10-game on-base streaks.  
• This marked Jorgensen’s third straight multi-hit game and his fifth in the last six contests. His three hits on Sunday established his season high and matched a career best. Over the last six games, Jorgensen is hitting a team-best .462 and slugging .731.
• Drudge doubled for his team-leading sixth extra-base hit of the year. Six of his nine hits this season have gone for extra bases.

Up Next

Valpo (4-9) will be back in action on Tuesday at 4 p.m. CT / 5 p.m. ET at No. 17 Notre Dame for the first midweek game of the season. The matchup will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra with links to live video and stats available on ValpoAthletics.com.