The bats were blazing all weekend long for both the Hilltoppers and the Spartans as WKU defeated USC Upstate in a best of three weekend series in Spartanburg, SC.

USC Upstate kicked off the series Friday with a 12-7 victory. WKU bounced back with an 8-6 10-inning win Saturday, and closed out the series Sunday with a season high 17 runs scored in a 17-9 win.

In what was expected to be a heated series between the 6-2 Hilltoppers and 7-1 Spartans coming in certainly did not disappoint. A combined 59 runs was scored by both teams over the three-game series.

Friday's opener was highlighted by USC Upstate starting pitcher Jordan Marks who picked up right where he left off allowing two earned runs on seven hits along with 10 strikeouts in six strong innings pitched. Hilltopper batters could not overcome a four run fifth and sixth inning by the Spartans as they dropped the opener 12-7.

On Saturday in a back and forth stalemate WKU Senior 2B Jack Wilson shined with a three-hit day along with three runs scored. USC Upstate put up three runs in the bottom of the eighth eventually forcing extra innings, but the Hilltoppers retaliated with two runs of their own in the top of the 10th to give WKU a 8-6 victory.

Sunday's rubber match proved to be the peak performance for WKU at the plate as they put up at least two runs in each of the last four innings of the game. Leading the way for the Hilltoppers were Richard Constantine, Kevin Lambert and Matt Phipps each putting up three-hit days as well as Sophomore OF Jackson Swiney, who launched a grand slam in the sixth inning powering WKU to a 17-9 series winning victory.

The Hilltoppers have yet to lose a series on the 2020 season improving to 8-3.

Not only was Sunday a monumental day for the WKU Hilltopper Baseball team but for head coach John Pawlowski as well, who recorded his 600th career win as a head coach in a career that has seen him lead College of Charleston and Auburn as well as WKU.

WKU will head back to Bowling Green for a four game homestand starting with a Tuesday matchup against Belmont at Nick Denes Field. The Hilltoppers will then have a tall task ahead as they welcome the Purdue Boilermakers to town for a three-game weekend series.

Catch the Hilltoppers in action at Nick Denes Field at 3pm CT Tuesday as they take on the Bruins or listen live on ESPN 102.7 FM or espnradio1027.com.