Hilltoppers Put Up Valiant Effort in CUSA Tournament Loss to Jax State

KENNESAW, Ga. – WKU Baseball (30-27) fell to Jacksonville State (44-13) 12-11 Friday afternoon in the pool play round of the CUSA Tournament in Kennesaw, Ga. With the loss, WKU finishes the season 30-27.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Hilltoppers loaded the bases with no out in the top half of the first. The first two outs were recorded, and Daniel Stewart stepped in and logged an RBI walk on four pitches to give the Hilltoppers a 1-0 lead.
• A one out, two run home run in the bottom of the frame gave the Gamecocks a 2-1 lead.
• Hayden Robbins was hit by a pitch to lead off the WKU second. Parker Coley then lined one over the centerfielder to plate Robbins for an RBI triple.
• Austin Haller then stepped in and grounded out to score Coley and take the lead back at 3-2.
• A two-out solo home run in the Gamecock third evened the score at 3-3.
• An RBI sacrifice bunt in the bottom of the fourth gave Jax State a 4-3 lead.
• WKU loaded the bases again in the fifth inning and Hayden Nazarenus came in to pinch hit and on a full count, he walked to bring in a run and tie the game at four all.
• Camden Ross led off the Hilltopper seventh and on the second pitch knocked his seventh home run of the season, a 495-foot solo home run to left center.
• The Hilltoppers loaded up the bases for the third time in the game and with two out Austin Haller stepped into the box.
• On an 0-2 count, Haller laced a double into the right field corner to clear the bases and push the Hilltopper lead to four runs at 8-4.
• The Gamecocks plated five in the seventh to take a 9-8 advantage.
• Frost led off the WKU eighth and knocked a single into center field.
• Then, with two out in the inning, Nazarenus launched a ball over the left field wall to take the lead back at 10-9.
• A two-out solo home run in the bottom of the frame evened the score at 10 apiece.
• Haller led off the ninth with a single. Howard then bunted Haller over into scoring position.
• Arroyos stepped in and smacked a single up the middle for his first hit of the tournament to plate Haller and take the lead back.
• The Gamecocks scored two in the ninth to take it, 12-11.

NOTABLES

• The Hilltoppers finish the 2026 campaign with a 30-27 record.
• Ka’olu Holt got the starting nod for WKU on Friday. Holt finished with four hits, three runs (earned), one strikeout, and two walks in 3.0 innings of work.
• In relief WKU used Dawson Hall, Zach Lyles, Mick Uebelhor, Nathan Lawson, Dominic Monaco, and Sam Frizzi.
• Austin Haller paced a Hilltopper offense that put up 11 runs. Haller finished 2-for-5 with four RBIs, two runs, a double, and a walk.
• For Haller, his five RBIs match a career high set on May 10, 2025, at New Mexico State.
• Hayden Nazarenus logged a 1-for-2 game with three RBIs, a home run, and a run.
• The three RBIs for Nazarenus mark his best as a Hilltopper.
• Parker Coley finished 2-for-4 with two runs, an RBI, and a triple.
• Cael Frost also logged a two-hit game in four appearances. Frost was one of four Hilltoppers to log two runs on Friday.
• Reid Howard also recorded a triple on Friday. He finished 1-for-3.
• Camden Ross hit a solo home run in the seventh inning.

SEASON NOTABLES

• The Hilltoppers finish the season with 30 wins, marking the fourth consecutive season the team has done.
• The feat also marks the fifth time in program history WKU has done so over a four-year period.
• WKU has finished with 30 wins in every season of the Marc Rardin tenure.
• WKU finished with five series victories in CUSA play, including a series defeat of Dallas Baptist to cap off the home schedule.
• In total, WKU claimed seven series victories in 2026.
• The Hilltoppers logged 127 doubles in 2026 which stands alone at No. 6 in program history, surpassing the 2008 team that had 125.
• WKU pitching logged the first no-hitter since 2023 in a 12-0 seven inning win over Tennessee Tech on March 31. WKU used seven different pitchers in the game which marked the first combined no-hitter since WKU used four pitchers in a 15-0 win in seven innings over Kentucky Wesleyan in 2009
• Lane Arroyos finished with 24 doubles which matched the single season program record. Arroyos logged two or more hits in 27 games and earned First Team All-CUSA honors.
• In a 15-4 win over FIU on March 13, Camden Ross scored five runs which matched the single game program record, tying Austin Haller (2025) and Jake Sanford (2019).
• Hayden Robbins became the first Hilltopper to hit an inside-the-park home run in over 15 years in a 9-3 win over FIU on March 15. It was the first for a player since Matt Payton did so against New Orleans on April 10, 2009.
• WKU had three walk-off wins throughout the 2026 season. Parker Coley did so against Indiana State with an RBI-single on March 6 in a 6-5 win in 10 innings. Manny Alberto had one against FIU with an RBI-single on March 14 in a 5-4 win in 10 innings. Daniel Stewart logged one with a three-run home run against Dallas Baptist on May 8 in a 7-4 win.
• Gavin Perry tossed a complete game shutout en route to an 11-0 run-rule win over Middle Tennessee on May 2. Perry allowed no runs on five hits and six strikeouts while allowing just one walk. The complete game shutout marked the first for a Hilltopper pitcher since the 2023 season.