WKU met the FAU Owls in the first round of the Conference USA Baseball tournament Wednesday, May 24. The Hilltoppers claimed a thrilling 10-9 victory in walk-off fashion over the Owls.

The Hilltoppers trailed for the majority of the game before mounting a huge comeback to advance as winners to the second round of the tournament.  

WKU jumped out to an early lead over the Owls with two runs in the first inning. Junior Aidan Gilroy began the scoring with an RBI double and the Hilltoppers added to the lead with an RBI double play, making it a 2-0 game.

FAU responded with two runs of their own in the top of the third with a two-run homer, tying the game 2-2. 

The Hilltoppers took the lead back in the bottom of the inning with an RBI single, making it 3-2. 

The Owls answered back with three runs in the top of the fourth on a two-RBI single and a passed ball to take a 5-3 lead.

FAU proceeded to take a 9-3 lead with a solo homer in the fifth followed by a three-run homer in the seventh.

WKU responded with a huge bottom of the seventh in which they scored six runs to tie the game 9-9. The scoring started with an RBI groundout, which was followed by three RBI singles and a three-run homer by junior Andrew Delaney.

Both teams were held scoreless in the eighth and the Owls failed to score in the top of the ninth, sending the Hilltoppers to the plate with a chance to win it.

Sophomore AJ Fiechter did just that with a walk off RBI single for WKU in the bottom of the ninth, giving the Hilltoppers a 10-9 victory.

The Hilltoppers will take to the field next in a double-elimination tournament. WKU will meet Dallas Baptist May 25 at 7:30 p.m. CST.

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