WKU Baseball visited the FIU Panthers for a three-game series in Miami, Florida May 5-7. The Hilltoppers claimed a series victory, taking two out of three over the Panthers. 

The series victory marks WKU’s fourth straight series victory. The Hilltoppers now sit at 27-21 on the season with a 12-12 record in conference play. 

Game 1

The Hilltoppers dropped game one of the series Friday to the Panthers 8-1.

WKU got out to a 1-0 lead with a run on an error in the first, but failed to hold onto the lead. 

The Panthers responded with two runs of their own in the bottom of the first on an error and an RBI single to take a 2-1 lead.

FIU added a run in the second on a double play that pushed in a run to make it 3-1.

The Panthers added to their lead in the seventh with an RBI double and a sac fly, giving them a 5-1 lead. 

FIU capped off the game with three more in the eighth inning, leading to an 8-1 victory.

Junior Lane Diuguid put together a solid start on the mound for WKU despite the loss. Diuguid went five innings and allowed only one earned run on seven hits.

Game 2

WKU evened the series Saturday with a 7-2 victory over FIU.

The Hilltoppers once again got off to a quick start Saturday with two runs in the first inning. WKU scored on an RBI single and an RBI double to take a 2-0 lead. 

FIU responded with an RBI single in the second to cut the deficit to 2-1.

WKU expanded the lead to 4-1 in the following inning with a two-run home run by freshman Lukas Farris.

The Panthers responded with an RBI single in the fourth to make it a 4-2 game.

The Hilltoppers scored an individual run in the fifth on an error and two in the eighth on two RBI singles to claim a 7-2 win. 

Farris led the Hilltoppers offense with three hits, two runs, and three RBIs in the contest. 

Game 3

The Hilltoppers claimed a series victory with a 3-1 win over the Panthers on Sunday. 

FIU began the scoring in the bottom of the first with a solo homer to take a 1-0 lead.

Farris responded with a solo homer of his own for WKU in the second to even the game 1-1.

Senior Tristin Garcia proceeded to give the Hilltoppers a 3-1 victory with a go-ahead two-RBI double in the sixth. 

The Hilltoppers will return to Nick Denes Field May 9  to host EKU at 5 p.m. CST.

Sports reporter Camden Bush can be reached at [email protected].