WKU Baseball sweeps Rice in three-game series
WKU junior infielder Aidan Gilroy (6) throws the ball from third during the second round of a double-header against the NIU Huskies Saturday, March. 4, 2023 at Nick Denes Field. WKU won the second match 7-5.
May 15, 2023
WKU Baseball hosted Rice for a three-game series in Bowling Green, Kentucky May 12-14. The Hilltoppers claimed a sweep, winning all three over the Owls.
The series victory marks WKU’s fifth straight series victory. The Hilltoppers now sit at 30-22 on the season with a 15-12 record in conference play.
Game 1
The Hilltoppers claimed the first game of the series Friday 5-4 over the Owls in a ten-inning contest.
WKU began the scoring out of the gate Friday with an RBI single in the first to take a 1-0 lead.
The Hilltoppers added to their lead the following inning with an RBI single, an error and an RBI triple to make it a 4-0 game.
Rice proceeded to erase the WKU lead with two runs in the fifth and sixth innings on three RBI doubles and a solo homer.
Senior Ricardo Leonett ultimately gave the Hilltoppers the win with a go-ahead RBI double in the tenth inning, giving WKU a 5-4 lead.
Leonett led the WKU offense with three hits, including the game winner.
Game 2
WKU gained another series victory with a 10-2 win over Rice on Saturday
Rice began the scoring with a first inning RBI single to make the game 1-0.
The Hilltoppers tied the game in the second with a sac fly, making it a 1-1 game.
WKU then took a 3-1 lead in the fifth with an RBI single and an RBI groundout.
Rice then cut their deficit to 3-2 in the sixth with a sac fly RBI.
The Hilltoppers offense proceeded to explode in the seventh for seven runs, ultimately giving WKU a 10-2 victory. The runs came on a bases loaded walk, two RBI singles, a three-RBI double and an RBI triple.
Junior Aidan Gilroy led the WKU offense with three hits and two runs.
Game 3
The Hilltoppers claimed the series sweep over the Owls Sunday with a 5-2 victory.
The Owls jumped out to an early lead with an RBI single in the second inning, taking a 1-0 lead.
WKU responded with an RBI groundout and a sac fly in the bottom of the inning to take a 2-1 lead.
The Hilltoppers expanded their lead with an RBI single in the fifth and a solo homer in the sixth to make it 4-1.
The teams then traded individual runs in the seventh and WKU proceeded to close out a 5-2 victory.
Gilroy, once again, led the WKU offense, reaching base four times in the contest.
The Hilltoppers will return to the field for a three-game series against Dallas-Baptist May 18-20. The series will be held in Dallas, Texas and will conclude WKU’s regular season play.
Sports reporter Camden Bush can be reached at [email protected].
