WKU avoided a four-game series sweep to Charlotte over the weekend after winning a high-scoring, tightly contested battle on Sunday.
On Friday the Tops were downed 7-4 in the opener after strong pitching from the 49ers was too much to overcome. A double-header on Saturday saw WKU get shut out 6-0 in the first contest and lose a hard fought extra-inning game 5-4 in the second matchup.
The series finale on Sunday was a game to remember as the Hilltoppers edged the 49ers 17-16 in another closely contested extra-inning bout.
To start the series off Charlotte jumped out to a 4-0 lead in early in game one. Pitcher Jake Kates lasted six innings giving up six earned runs as WKU was unable to complete the comeback totaling just six hits on the day offensively.
Saturday included two seven inning double-headers in which the Tops lost both. In the first contest the Hilltoppers were shut out for the first time this season, tallying just four hits total.
In the second game of Saturday's double-header starting pitcher Devyn Terbrak tossed 5.1 innings allowing just two earned runs. While WKU's bats came alive more than in the previous two games, four runs was still not enough as Charlotte won the third straight game in the series.
Game four was the second time this season WKU scored 17 runs in their fourth walk-off victory of the year. Five players produced multi-hit efforts in the extra-inning win to avoid the four-game sweep.
The Hilltoppers are now 11-13 on the season and 1-3 to open Conference USA play. WKU now ranks first in the nation with 61 doubles on the year, proving that the Tops' lineup is deep and capable of winning ballgames outscoring opponents.
WKU will travel to the sunshine state to take on FIU in their first conference road series since 2019. The four-game series will begin Thursday with first pitch at 6:00 PM CT followed by a double-header beginning at 1:00 PM CT on Friday.
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– Casey Warner is a Baseball and Staff writer for InsideHilltopperSports.com. Follow him on Twitter at @thecaseywarner. –
