WKU Baseball suffered a 13-9 loss at the hands of the No. 22 Kentucky Wildcats at Kentucky Proud Park on Wednesday.

The Hilltoppers’ record dropped to 5-4 with nine games left before Conference USA play begins.

The Wildcats set the tone early, erupting for a four-run first inning, highlighted by a leadoff home run by junior infielder Ethan Hindle off the game’s first pitch. They finished with 20 hits and 10-20 with runners in scoring position. 

“We give up 20 hits. It’s really hard to compete and really stay in a game. But then you look and we only lost by four. We got 10 hits and nine runs, I mean we’re right there in the game,” Head Coach Marc Rardin said.

The Hilltoppers responded with sustained pressure, scoring in three consecutive innings before exploding for five runs in the sixth to cut the deficit 8-7. WKU ended the game with 10 hits and 5-16 with RISP. Junior infielder Kyle Hayes powered the rally as he went 2-4 with two home runs and three RBI. 

Momentum swung back and forth as both teams refused to go quietly, trading runs and keeping the contest tight late into the game. Kentucky capitalized on WKU’s pitching changes to reclaim the lead, while the Hilltoppers answered with a two-run seventh highlighted by a wild pitch and a sac groundout. 

WKU used eight pitchers in its designated bullpen game, with four of them making their season debuts. UK rode their starter junior Chase Alderman for four innings before using four of their bullpen arms.

“We’ve definitely had some guys pitching wise we needed to get out there and perform. I mean you have to do it,” Rardin said. They’re gonna help you at some point and they deserve it they need to be out there. I actually have a few more I need to get out there.”

The Wildcats were finally able to close out the Hilltoppers in order in the eighth and ninth cementing their win.

WKU Baseball will return to Nick Denes Field from Feb. 27-Mar. 2 for a four game series against Indiana. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. on Friday.