Western Kentucky’s baseball team gave up a pair of runs in the top of the 12th inning and fell 6-4 to visiting Charlotte on Thursday night at Nick Denes Field.

With the score tied 4-4 in the bottom of the 11th, WKU’s Paul Murray hit a ground ball to the left side and 49ers shortstop Hunter Jones made a desperation attempt at a force play on Grayson Ivey – who singled in the previous at-bat – which subsequently drew an out call at second base to end the inning.

The Hilltoppers got to extra innings because of the bat of Hunter Wood, who launched a two-out triple to the center-field wall in the ninth to bring home Colie Currie from first base and tie the game at 4-4. In addition, Wood got the scoring started in the first inning when he lined a single into center field that also scored Currie.

Kevin Elder took the loss for the Tops, as the reliever spun 4.2 innings of one-hit ball with three walks and three strikeouts. He was taken out for Jackson Sowell in the 12th inning after giving up two baserunners to start the frame. Both came around to score as unearned runs after a throwing error by Sowell on a sacrifice bunt attempt by Jackson Mims.

Currie had three hits and reached base five times to lead the Tops. Nathan Methvin, Tyler Robertson and Bryson Smith also contributed two-hit games.

The three-game series continues Friday at 5 p.m. Righty Paul Kirkpatrick will start, six days after firing a complete game in a 4-3 win at UTSA, while lefty Josh Maciejewski start for Charlotte.