WKU Baseball dropped its third consecutive Conference USA series at the hands of the Liberty Flames this weekend at Nick Denes Field.

The Hilltoppers drop to 16-16 and 4-8 in CUSA, falling to 11th in the conference. 

The Hilltoppers couldn’t find their footing in the first two games, being outhit by Liberty 25-16 and outscored 14-5. The main struggle came with runners on base, a season issue for WKU. In games one and two, they left 17 runners on base and hit just 5-32. 

WKU also struggled on the mound in games one and two. The Hilltoppers’ starters, redshirt sophomore Zach Serup and graduate Aaron Robertson, combined for 5.1 innings, giving up four runs on six hits. In the Hilltoppers’ bullpen’s 11.2 innings of work in games one and two, the arms gave up 10 runs on 19 hits, six walks, while striking out eight batters. 

“They (Liberty) have a gun, and we have a knife, and we’re just trying to hold on, and we can’t even do that right now,” Head Coach Marc Rardin said. 

Day 1

Liberty took the series opener in an 8-3 win over the Hilltoppers. 

The game was in a deadlock for the first four innings until the Flames broke out for a four-run fifth frame. The scoring started with a two-RBI double by junior infielder Tanner Marsh and continued when junior outfielder Ryan Drumm scored off a fielder’s error by the Hilltoppers.

The Hilltoppers made the game 4-3 in the seventh, highlighted by a two-RBI single by senior catcher Camden Ross. 

However, Liberty put the game out of reach for the Hilltoppers with consecutive two-run frames in the eighth and ninth. In the eighth, senior outfielder Nick Barone hit a two-run home run. In the ninth, back-to-back RBI doubles by graduate outfielder Anderson Fulk and senior infielder Jaxon Sorenson made the game 8-3. 

The Hilltoppers left 10 runners on base in the game, including five in scoring position. WKU also hit into two double plays. 

Day 2

Liberty took game two with a 6-2 win over WKU on Friday. 

The Flames wasted no time getting on the board with a sacrifice fly by senior Jaxon Sorenson to give Liberty a 1-0 lead after the first inning.

Liberty put up more runs in the second frame thanks to a two-RBI double by Marsh. Robertson was run out after just 1.1 innings, where he gave up three runs on three hits and issued one walk. 

Junior right-hander Mick Uebelhor relieved Robertson, tossing 4-1 innings, giving up one run on five hits, one walk and striking out three. 

The Hilltoppers got a run back in the fifth frame with a sac groundout by sophomore infielder Reid Howard, making the game 4-1. 

However, junior left-hander Zach Lyles gave up two runs on four hits in his work in the seventh and eighth, proving to be the nail in the coffin for the Hilltoppers. 

Day 3

Backed up by a six-run ninth frame, Liberty secured the series sweep in a 6-5 win over the Hilltoppers. 

Liberty’s five-run ninth frame blew the game open and scored its first runs. Graduate Gavin Perry had a solid eight innings on the mound, holding the Flames to zero runs on four hits. However, when Perry came out in the ninth, he couldn’t record an out, leaving the bases loaded as he left the mound. 

Sophomore right-hander Jude Favela relieved Perry and was taken out after facing just one batter, who he walked to make the game 5-1. The game was blown wide open as graduate reliever Nathan Lawson gave up a grand slam by Barone, tying the game. 

The struggle continued in the ninth as bases were once again loaded after the Hilltoppers elected to intentionally walk Marsh. Graduate right-hander Sam Frizzi hit the junior infielder Riley DeCandido as Liberty took their first lead, 6-5. By the end of the ninth frame, the Hilltoppers used four pitchers, giving up three hits and four free bases. 

The game started as a pitcher’s duel, with the score 0-0 through five innings. However, the Hilltoppers broke the deadlock in the sixth frame with a two-run home run by Ross. The home run ran out Liberty starter, sophomore right-hander Bradley Zayac, who, before the sixth, held the Hilltoppers to two hits in the first five innings. 

In their last chance in the bottom of the ninth, the Hilltoppers left junior outfielder Hayden Robbins on base. 

“I think it all hurt. I wanted to give Gavin that shot to go back out there, and he earned it. It bit me in the butt,” Rardin said. 

WKU Baseball will return to action as they host Belmont on Tuesday at Nick Denes Field. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.