The Hilltoppers will close out what has been an eight-game homestand this weekend welcoming the Valparaiso Crusaders to Nick Denes Field for a three-game series.

Friday things will kick off with first pitch of game one coming at 5:00 PM CT. Game two will begin at 1:00 PM CT on Saturday and the series will conclude on Sunday with first pitch coming at 1:00 PM CT.

PROBABLE STARTING PITCHERS:

Game 1:

WKU - Jake Kates, RHP (1-0, 1.50 ERA)

Valparaiso - Easton Roadhouse, RHP (1-0, 3.38 ERA)

Game 2:

WKU - Sean Bergeron, RHP (1-1, 3.38 ERA)

Valparaiso - Colin Fields, RHP (1-2, 3.21 ERA)

Game 3:

WKU - Aristotle Peter, RHP (0-1, 6.94 ERA)

Valparaiso - Trent Turzenski, RHP (1-2, 3.94 ERA)

WKU's four-game winning streak was snapped on Tuesday as the Hilltoppers dropped their mid-week matchup versus Bellarmine 7-3. Outfielder Jackson Gray led the way for the Hilltoppers with a three for four day despite WKU pushing across just nine hits for the entire game.

The Hilltoppers and Crusaders have met a total of nine times in program history with WKU leading the series 6-3. Both squads met last season in a three-game series which saw the Hilltoppers win two of three over Valparaiso.

WKU is now 8-8 on the season with three hitters currently hitting over .300 in Matthew Meyer, Jackson Gray and Ray Zuberer III. On the bump the Hilltoppers have struck out 144 batters through 140 innings of work.

Valparaiso enters this weekend's series at 3-7 on the season after splitting a four-game series against WKU rival Middle Tennessee State. Steven Fitzsimmons leads the way with a .306 batting average, and the Crusaders' pitching staff owns a 4.91 team ERA on the year.

Listen to Hilltopper Baseball live game broadcasts all season long on ESPN 102.7 FM in Bowling Green or the ESPN 102.7 app.