WKU Hosts FIU in Season’s Final Home Series

WKU Game Notes (PDF)

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Every game for WKU Baseball has been crucial to the team's goal of qualifying for the 2018 Conference USA Championship, and this weekend's series is no different. The Hilltoppers host FIU for a three-game set at Nick Denes Field from Friday, May 11 to Sunday, May 13.

Due to University graduation ceremonies, the opening game will begin at 12 noon, with the Saturday and Sunday start times at 1 p.m. Saturday's contest will be free admission for all fans. Then on Sunday, the 10 WKU seniors will be recognized prior to the series finale, with ceremonies set to begin at 12:25 p.m.

Series History
The Hilltoppers and Panthers, also former Sun Belt Conference foes, are knotted at 32-32 in the all-time series. WKU and FIU played for the first time in 1999, and have faced off at least at least three times in every year since, other than 2014.

In Sun Belt play, the Hilltoppers had a 29-26 edge, while the Panthers have gone 6-3 in the series over the past three seasons in C-USA action. WKU was swept for the first time in the series in Miami last year, as the Hilltoppers fell by scores of 23-6, 6-0 and 11-2 to FIU.

Series Preview
FIU enters the matchup at 22-25 overall and 11-12 in league play. Last weekend vs. Florida Atlantic, the teams split the first two games and cancelled the Sunday finale. The Panthers are 5-7 in C-USA away games and 7-11 overall in contests away from FIU Baseball Stadium.

The visitors plan to throw the trio of junior righty Andres Nunez (5-2, 3.25 ERA in 55.1 innings), sophomore righty Tyler Myrick (2-2, 3.47 ERA in 49.1 innings) and freshman lefty Logan Allen (4-5, 4.50 ERA in 64 innings).

Meanwhile, WKU is set to go with senior lefty Ryan Thurston (4-5, 3.08 ERA in 73 innings) and junior lefty Troy Newell (0-4, 6.39 ERA in 31 innings), while the Sunday starter remains TBA at this time.

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Players Mentioned

Troy Newell

Ryan Thurston