WKU Baseball took two out of three games in its Conference USA series against New Mexico State. 

The Hilltoppers improve to 19-17 overall and 6-9 in CUSA play. 

WKU was in control in its two wins in games one and two, outhitting the Aggies 22-15 through two games. However, the Aggies found their footing in the series closer, racking up 13 hits over the Hilltoppers four. 

Senior infielder Austin Haller led the Hilltoppers in the batter’s box, going 6-11 with two RBI and two walks in the series. 

“We were in our own skin the first two games, I thought, but we couldn’t handle that today (game three),” Head Coach Marc Rardin said. 

Game 1 

WKU took the series opener in a 7-3 win over the Aggies on Friday night.

The win was backed up by a strong outing on the mound by the Hilltoppers. Graduate left-hander Aaron Robertson started on the mound, allowing three runs on four hits and two walks while striking out seven. Junior right-hander Mick Uebelhor was the only other arm used in the win, coming in with one out in the fifth inning. Uebelhor went on to pitch the remaining 3.2 innings, keeping the Aggies hitless while striking out seven. 

The Hilltoppers found early success from the long ball. Fifth-year senior infielder Kyle Hayes hit his eighth home run in the second inning, and graduate outfielder Parker Coley hit a home run in the third, giving WKU a 2-1 lead. 

WKU added three more runs in the fourth to extend the lead to 5-3. The inning started with a failed pickoff attempt that allowed senior outfielder Cael Frost to come home. Sophomore infielder Reid Howard brought in the two other runs with a single. 

The Hilltoppers added two more insurance runs in the eighth. Senior infielder Austin Haller hit a ball off Aggie’s pitcher, senior Julio Ramos, on the ankle, allowing pinch runner Hayden Nazarenus and Coley to come home.

However, the Hilltoppers continued to struggle with runners on base, hitting just 2-12 with runners on the pads. WKU went just 2-10 with runners in scoring position. 

Game 2 

WKU secured the series win with a 9-4 win over NMSU on Saturday night. 

The Hilltoppers improved their hitting with runners on, hitting 8-22 with runners on and 5-13 with runners in scoring position. 

On the mound, graduate starter Gavin Perry went seven innings, allowing two runs on seven hits, zero walks and seven strikeouts. 

Junior outfielder Hayden Robbins led WKU in the box, going 4-5 with two RBI and a triple. 

The Hilltoppers excelled at hitting with two outs, with eight of the nine runs coming in with two outs. In the second inning, junior infielder JP Acosta hit a two-RBI single with two outs. 

In the following frame, redshirt junior infielder Manny Alberto hit a two-RBI single and Haller hit a two-RBI triple, both with two outs. Robbins then followed in Haller’s fashion and hit his own two-RBI triple in the sixth frame. 

The Aggies made a late push toward the Hilltoppers’ lead, with two runs crossing the plate in the ninth, after junior right-hander Greg Olsen came into relief. Olsen would close out the game, finishing with two runs on two hits, while striking out one Aggie. 

Game 3

The Hilltoppers failed to secure the sweep as New Mexico State won the series finale 10-7. 

WKU struggled early on, leaving two runners on base in the first inning after loading the bases with one out. 

Meanwhile, the Aggies attacked the Hilltoppers early, scoring a run in the first and second innings. In the opening frame, senior infielder Camden Kaufman hit a sacrifice groundout to score the first run of the game. Redshirt freshman catcher Brandon Clizbe hit a two-run homer in the second. In the fourth, Clizbe hit an RBI single, after junior infielder Steve Solorzano hit a sacrifice fly to put the Aggies up 5-0. 

“They had us from the first pitch, literally,” Rardin said. 

The Hilltoppers were finally able to find life as in his first at bat of the series, junior infielder Lane Arroyos hit a two-RBI triple to right field. Coley then hit a sac groundout to bring Arroyos home, cutting the deficit to 5-3. 

WKU struggled on the mound, as no pitcher had an outing without giving up a run. Starter redshirt sophomore Zach Serup was run out during the third inning after walking the leadoff batter. Serup gave up three runs on three hits, one walk and struck out three. Junior right-hander Trey Reinburg took the mound after Serup and only pitched 1.1 innings, giving up two runs on one hit, two walks and striking out one. 

Junior right-hander Jacob O’Day took the mound after Reinburg but couldn’t get out of the sixth inning, getting run out after giving up an RBI single. Junior right-hander Ka’olu Holt relieved O’Day and gave up an RBI double, extending the Aggies’ lead to 7-3. 

The Hilltoppers had an opportunity to cut the four-run deficit in the fifth with runners on first and second with one out. However, Ross hit into the Hilltoppers’ second double play of the game to end the inning. 

New Mexico State put a three-run frame in the seventh, as they ran out Holt with a two-RBI single. Junior right-hander Jude Favela came in and also gave up a two-RBI single, building a 10-3 Aggies lead. 

Alberto put the Hilltoppers back into the game, hitting a bases-clearing three-RBI double to cut the lead to 10-7. 

The Hilltoppers were sat down in order to end the game. 

“I’m not worried much about Louisville, but we are going to see a Missouri State team that is the real deal,” Rardin said. 

WKU Baseball will return to action as they travel to Louisville to face the Louisville Cardinals on Tuesday, April 14. First pitch set for 5 p.m. CT.