Hilltoppers split season-opening series with BYU

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – WKU Baseball closed out its four-game opening weekend series hosting BYU with a 12-8 loss on Monday afternoon at Nick Denes Field. With the loss, the Hilltoppers post a 2-2 series split with the Cougars.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Left-hander Rodney Whaley got the start on the mound and pitched a no-hit inning in the first
• BYU broke a scoreless tie with a five-run second inning, capitalizing on four hits to take early control
• WKU answered in the second inning as Daniel Stewart singled to center field, later scoring on a Reid Howard ground out
• After a scoreless top third from Ka’olu Holt pitching in relief, the Tops cut the deficit to 5-2 after a Lane Arroyos double down the right field line drove in Hayden Robbins from second
• A three-RBI homer to left field by Stewart drove in Arroyos and Camden Ross and evened the count at 5-5
• The Cougars responded with a three-RBI homer to right center to regain the lead before a sac fly to right field drove in another unearned run and gave BYU a 9-5 lead in the fourth
• An RBI single by Arroyos in the bottom fourth plated Manny Alberto and cut the BYU lead to 9-6
• BYU once again responded in the top fifth with a solo homer to center field; an RBI single to right field drove in a second run for the inning and gave the Cougars an 11-6 lead
• JP Acosta singled to left field in the bottom sixth to plate Robbins and cut the lead down to 11-7
• After a scoreless seventh, BYU pushed its lead to 12-7 with another solo homer to center field
• BYU was held scoreless in the top ninth, drawing two walks and getting a stolen base but leaving two runners stranded after a pair of flyouts and a groundout
• In the bottom ninth, WKU loaded the bases with two walks and a single by Logan Luckett before Grayson Godbee was hit by a pitch to force in a run and bring the count to 12-8
• A strikeout and a flyout ended the final rally by the Tops, leaving three Hilltoppers on base to close the game

NOTABLES

• Stewart powered the WKU offense with a 2-for-4 day, charting a home run and three RBIs
• Arroyos finished 2-for-5 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored on Monday; the Texas native totaled two homers, one double, five hits with four runs scored and five RBIs over the four-game series split with BYU
• Arroyos finished posting a .800 SLG% and 12 TB for the series, adding a team-high 25 putouts while recording one assist and turning a double play, finishing with a .960 fielding percentage playing first base for the Tops in all four games
• Robbins doubled and scored twice for the Hilltoppers
• WKU finished with eight runs on seven hits while drawing six walks
• Nathan Lawson provided 3.0 innings of relief, striking out three
• Zach Lyles added 2.0 innings out of the bullpen with two strikeouts
• WKU left a total of nine runners on base for the game
• With the loss, WKU wraps its season-opening series with BYU posting a 2-2 split and moves to 2-2 on the season

NEXT UP

WKU returns to action with a four-game series hosting Southeast Missouri State on February 20-22 at Nick Denes Field. First pitch for Friday’s series opener is slated for 3 p.m. CT.