LAFAYETTE, La. (AP) - Matt Ridings and Adam Balcom held Florida Atlantic to six hits and Western Kentucky got eight early runs to beat the Owls 9-0 in the opening game of the Sun Belt Conference baseball tournament.

The fifth-seeded Hilltoppers will face the winner of Thursday's game between Louisiana-Monroe and Middle Tennessee. Fourth-seeded
Florida Atlantic will play the loser of Thursday's first game in an elimination match that night.

Ridings allowed four singles and retired the last 11 batters he faced. Belsom gave up two hits in the eighth but retired Florida Atlantic's final five batters.

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