WKU Baseball secured its second win over Evansville of the season on Tuesday, defeating the Purple Aces 14-4 in an eight-inning win.

The Hilltoppers’ record improved to 34-7 and 25-1 at home. At the plate, the Hilltoppers tallied up nine hits and 11 walks. Senior Kyle Hayes continued his great form, going 2-for-2 and racking up six RBIs. Hayes has hit a home run in the last four games. 

On the mound, Senior Gavin Perry set the tone early, going three innings, keeping the Purple Aces to one hit, one walk and striking out two. The Hilltopper bullpen then came in and kept Evansville to three hits and three walks. All four of Evansville’s runs were scored on redshirt sophomore pitcher Elliot Rossell. 

The Hiltoppers got off to a quick start in the first inning with a three-run home run by Hayes. WKU added a run in the second inning off a RBI groundout from junior Joe Siervo that brought in senior Ethan Lizama, giving the Hilltoppers a 4-0 lead. 

WKU extended its lead in the third inning with a sacrifice fly from Hayes, which brought in senior Ryan Wideman from third. The Hilltoppers added four more runs in the fourth inning, first from a bases-loaded hit by pitch, which brought in junior Carlos Vasquez. A three-run triple from Lizama followed, giving WKU a 9-0 lead. 

The Hilltoppers got two more runs in the fifth inning from a two-run single from Hayes. WKU scored again in the sixth inning with a sacrifice fly from junior Henry Brown, extending the Hilltopper lead to 12-0. 

Evansville got on the board in the seventh inning with a grand slam by Drew McConnell, cutting the Hilltopper lead to 12-4. 

WKU scored its last two runs in the eighth inning. Junior Caleb Niehaus came home after a wild pitch was thrown. The run rule was enacted after an RBI double by Wideman. 

WKU Baseball returns to action this weekend, April 25-27, playing a three-game Conference USA series against FIU in Miami, Florida.

Sports Reporter David Quintanilla can be reached at [email protected]