WKU Baseball secured a 6-3 win over the University of Kentucky Tuesday night at Nick Denes Field, improving to 35-10 on the season.

Every starting batter posted a hit, totalling 14 on the night for the Hilltoppers. Junior Carlos Vasquez went 3-for-4 with an RBI and scored a run. On the mound, WKU allowed nine hits, issued three walks and struck out five. 

UK kicked things off in the first inning with a sacrifice bunt from junior Carson Hansen that allowed freshman Tyler Bell to score from third. The Wildcats added another run in the fourth inning off an RBI single by freshman Ryan Schwartz giving UK a 2-0 lead. 

The Wildcats extended their lead in the fifth inning with a solo home run from redshirt junior James McCoy. 

WKU took the lead in the fifth inning after a double from freshman Reid Howard scored senior Austin Haller from second. Later in the inning, a bases-loaded RBI double from senior Ryan Wideman scored Howard and junior Joe Siervo. Senior Ethan Lizama brought in another run with a bases-loaded single, giving the Hilltoppers a 4-3 lead. 

The Hilltoppers extended their lead in the sixth inning with a sacrifice fly from Howard that scored pinch runner Caleb Marmo. An RBI double by Vasquez scored Siervo from first, putting WKU in front 6-3. 

The game went into a lightning delay during the bottom of the seventh inning at 5:33 and resumed at 7:50. 

UK got a run back in the ninth inning off an RBI single by Bell, but couldn’t overcome the Hilltoppers’ three-run lead. WKU beat the Wildcats 6-4.

“I think we’re just a different team at home,” Head Coach Marc Rardin said. “We didn’t do it with a couple home runs. It was more some singles, some doubles and a few bunts.”

The Hilltoppers will continue conference play this weekend as they host Louisiana Tech May 2-4 at Nick Denes Field. 

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