May 20, 2025

WKU Baseball Achieves Historic 42nd Win of the Season

News Summary

WKU Baseball clinched a 9-4 victory over Jax State, marking their 42nd win of the season and the most regular season wins in program history. This win secures their position as the No. 2 seed for the upcoming Conference USA Championship, highlighting a resilient performance with a decisive five-run seventh inning. Key contributions came from players like Ryan Wideman and Kyle Hayes, while the team’s record now stands at 42-11 overall and 18-8 in Conference USA play. The regular season finale follows the successful match.

Bowling Green, Kentucky – In a pivotal game on May 16, 2025, WKU Baseball secured a 9-4 victory over Jax State, marking the program’s 42nd win of the season and achieving the most regular season wins in its history. This win ties the series at Nick Denes Field and solidifies WKU’s position as the No. 2 seed for the upcoming Conference USA Championship, the highest seed the team has received since joining Conference USA in 2015.

The Hilltoppers demonstrated resilience by overcoming several deficits during the match. They executed a decisive five-run seventh inning to pull ahead and secure the win. With a balanced offensive performance, WKU recorded nine runs on 11 hits and also successfully stole seven bases throughout the game.

In the early part of the game, Carlos Vasquez scored the first run for WKU even as Jax State turned a double play. Jax State took the lead in the third inning, bringing the score to 2-1 with a two-RBI triple. WKU quickly responded to tie the game when Henry Brown executed a pickle play to steal home. However, Jax State regained the advantage with an RBI double later in the frame, pulling ahead 3-2.

As the game progressed, Kyle Hayes managed to tie the game again with a timely RBI single in the fifth inning. Jax State once more took a slight lead, making the score 4-3 in the sixth inning with another RBI. Yet, WKU answered quickly, with Hayes contributing a sacrifice fly that tied the contest for the third time.

The seventh inning became a turning point for WKU, beginning with Austin Haller’s two-RBI single. The rally continued as Kyle Hvidsten and Ryan Wideman followed up with their own RBI singles, culminating in a total of five runs that propelled WKU ahead decisively. Ethan Lizama then completed the scoring for the Hilltoppers with an additional RBI single in the seventh inning.

WKU’s season record improved to 42-11 overall, which includes a 18-8 record in Conference USA, while Jax State’s record stood at 32-23 (14-12 in C-USA). The 2025 season also highlighted a remarkable achievement for WKU, as they set a new program record with 30 home wins, surpassing their previous record of 27.

Drew Whalen started on the mound for WKU, pitching 4.0 innings, coupled with three strikeouts while allowing three runs on five hits. The winning decision went to Dawson Hall, improving his record to 6-1 for the season after tossing 3.0 innings and allowing just one run while striking out three. Taylor Penn also contributed by pitching 2.0 innings, retiring six batters in succession, which included two strikeouts.

On the offensive side, Ryan Wideman shone with a standout performance, going 3-for-4 with a double, an RBI, three stolen bases, and two scored runs. Other notable performances included Hvidsten, who finished 2-for-3 with an RBI, a stolen base, and two walks; Vasquez, who went 2-for-4 with two runs scored; and Hayes and Haller, both of whom contributed with two RBIs in the match.

The Hilltoppers and Coach Marc Rardin emphasized the importance of maintaining energy and focus throughout the game, showing confidence and enjoyment on the field. The regular season finale against Jax State is set for the following afternoon, scheduled to start at 1 p.m. CT, with senior day activities commencing at 12:30 PM CT.

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Author: STAFF HERE BOWLING GREEN WRITER

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