THE SCHEDULE
- The Hilltoppers will open their series on Friday, Feb. 28 with a 3 p.m. CT matchup against USC Upstate.
- WKU will play game two against the Spartans at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 29.
- The Hilltoppers will close out their series with USC Upstate on Sunday, March 1 at noon.
LAST TIME OUT
- WKU Baseball downed Austin Peay, 10-5, in its midweek matchup against the Governors on Tuesday, Feb. 25 at Nick Denes Field.
- Collin Lollar earned the win on the mound in his third relief appearance of the season, fanning five batters while allowing just two hits and one run over 3.2 innings of action.
- Offensively, the Hilltoppers produced their highest scoring output of the young season, racking up 10 runs on eight hits and seven walks.
- Kevin Lambert led the team with a perfect 3-for-3 outing while adding three runs and one RBI.
DOUBLE 'EM UP
- The Hilltoppers currently rank 25th in the nation and first in Conference USA with 18 doubles on the season, averaging out to 2.25 doubles per game.
- Jack Wilson leads the squad with five doubles on the year, which ranks ninth in the nation and first in C-USA.
- WKU also currently ranks 46th in the country with six doubles plays turned so far this year, which is second in C-USA behind only Marshall with seven.
STRONG GLOVE GAME
- Through eight games, the Hilltoppers sit at 35th in the nation with a team fielding percentage of .981, which ranks first in the conference.
- The squad has committed just six errors in 312 chances, as apposed to 11 errors in 277 chances (.960) by their opponents.
THE K IS FOR KATES
- Through three relief appearances on the bump, Jake Kates has collected 18 strikeouts while allowing just five hits in 8.2 innings of play.
- He currently ranks eighth in the nation in strikeouts per nine innings (18.69), which leads all C-USA players.
SERIES HISTORY
- WKU and USC Upstate have previously met just once in program history, with the Hilltoppers taking the win in their only matchup to-date.
- The two teams' first and only contest came on April 17, 1987, where WKU picked up a 6-3 home victory over the Spartans.
SCOUTING THE HILLTOPPERS
- The Hilltoppers are 6-2 on the season, most recently earning a 10-5 victory over Austin Peay on Tuesday, Feb. 25.
- Offensively, four WKU regulars are currently batting over .300 on the season, with Lambert leading the squad at .346.
- The Hilltoppers have also been effective on the mound, where they currently own a 3.33 ERA while collecting 75 strikeouts in 73.0 innings. Kates ranks first on the team with 18 strikeouts through three appearances, with Lollar and Michael Darrell-Hicks also in double digits at 12 and 11, respectively.
SCOUTING THE SPARTANS
- The Spartans are 7-1 on the year, most recently picking up an 11-6 win against Wofford on Tuesday, Feb. 25.
- Six USC Upstate players currently sport a batting average above .333, with Mason Stewart leading the squad at .444.
- The Spartans' pitching staff has accumulated an impressive 1.65 ERA so far this season, with 78 strikeouts through 71.0 innings of play.
