WKU Baseball falls in three game series to LA Tech
Hilltopper Baseball’s starting pitcher Luke Stofel (30) throws to thrown a ball down to home plate during their game against the Belmont Bruins at Nick Denes Field on April 5th.
March 26, 2023
WKU Baseball (16-9, C-USA 2-4) dropped two of three games in their series against the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (12-12, C-USA 3-3), March 25-26 at Nick Denes Field.
Game 1
Game one was scheduled for Friday, March 24, but due to inclement weather it was pushed to March 25. WKU lost game one of the series 5-3.
WKU took an early 2-0 lead following a two-run bomb from freshman Lukas Farris in the bottom of the second.
Louisiana Tech quickly responded with a three-run shot in the top of the third to make it 3-2.
Both offenses suffered through an offensive lull before sophomore Ty Batusich tied the game up at three a piece with a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth.
Louisiana Tech countered in the top of the seventh with a rare inside-the-park home run, making it 4-3 in favor of the Bulldogs.
Louisiana Tech added an insurance run in the top of the eighth as the Bulldogs took game one 5-3.
Game 2
WKU lost game two of the series during the Saturday doubleheader 3-2.
Louisiana Tech jumped out to an early 1-0 lead following a sac-fly in the top of the second.
Louisiana Tech added another in the top of the sixth with a solo home run, 2-0.
Redshirt junior Ty Crittenberger put the Hilltoppers on the board in the bottom of the seventh with an RBI single making it 2-1.
An RBI double from the Bulldogs in the top of the eighth gave Louisiana Tech some much needed insurance as they went up 3-1.
WKU graduate student Drew Reckart crossed the plate following a catcher’s interference in the bottom of the eighth; however, it was the last run the Hilltoppers scored as they lost 3-2.
Game 3
WKU avoided a sweep as they won the third game of the series, 5-2.
Reckart put the Hilltoppers up 2-0 early with a two run dinger in the bottom of the first.
Louisiana Tech tied the ballgame back up in the top of the fourth with a two run bomb of their own.
WKU answered in the bottom half of the frame with a pair of RBI singles from senior Tristin Garcia and graduate student Kirk Liebert that made it 4-2.
Crittenberger put an exclamation point on the win with a solo shot in the eighth as the Hilltoppers won 5-2.
WKU will look to build on the Sunday win as the Kentucky Wildcats travel to Bowling Green Tuesday, March 28.
Sports reporter Jake McMahon can be reached at [email protected].
