BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – WKU Baseball closed out its regular season with its longest game of the season, going 14 frames against Eastern Kentucky while earning a 4-3 win following Matthew Meyer's walk-off RBI-single.
With two outs and runners on first and second in the bottom of the 14th inning, Meyer sent a ball to left center to plate Ray Zuberer III and give the Hilltoppers their seventh walk-off win of the season.
"I thought we should have been out of here a long time ago and I apologize for that," said head coach John Pawlowski with a laugh. "We just wanted to keep all the fans here for the last night at The Nick and keep them entertained. We entertained all right - I'm not sure the exact way we wanted to - but it ended up being a win for the Tops tonight.
"Just hard to believe our season at The Nick is over. It was a grind this year obviously, as we talked about, but we had a great crowd tonight and I'm glad we could send the seniors off with a win tonight."
WKU utilized eight different pitchers in the contest, with the group combining to allow just seven hits and three runs (two earned) while striking out 17 batters in 14.0 innings of action.
Mason Vinyard tossed a team-high 4.0 frames while allowing just one hit to go along with a career-high seven strikeouts, while Aaron Shiflet picked up his first win of the season after surrendering just one hit and striking out a pair in 3.0 innings of work.
At the plate, the Hilltoppers racked up 10 hits and eight walks, with three players producing multi-hit performances. Jackson Gray led the way, going 3-for-5 with a single, triple and home run while being robbed of the first cycle in program history after EKU's left fielder made a great play on a potential game-winning line drive to deep left center in the 12th inning.
Meyer and Jackson Swiney also added two hits apiece in the contest, with Meyer collecting two RBI, including the game winner in the 14th frame.
SCORING SUMMARY
WKU opened the scoring in the first frame, with Meyer sending an RBI-single through the left side to plate Gray and make it 1-0.
The Colonels answered back in the top of the second, jumping ahead to a 2-1 lead following a two-RBI double down the left field line.
The Hilltoppers regained their lead in the bottom of the third, with Gray blasting a two-run bomb over the right field wall to make it 3-2.
Eastern Kentucky evened the score in the seventh, using an RBI-single through the left side to put the game at 3-3.
Both teams went scoreless through the next six innings before Meyer walked it off in the 14th frame with an RBI-single to left center, scoring Zuberer and giving WKU the 4-3 win.
UP NEXT
The Hilltoppers will open the Conference USA Tournament against third seed No. 17 Southern Miss at 7:30 p.m. CT on Wednesday, May 26 in Ruston, La.
Western Kentucky University Athletics
- Champions Climb Here
- WKU Athletics
- Athletic Director
- Academic Services
- Annual Report
- Athletic Communications
- Athletic Hall of Fame
- Athletic Training
- CLIMB Program - NIL
- Compliance
- Facilities
- Financial Reports
- For Students
- Student Employment
- Forms/Requests
- Book Big Red
- Donation Requests
- Site Feedback
- For Fans
- Hilltopper Highlights
- Gameday Promotions
- Alumni Tailgates
- Big Red's Rascals
- Basketball Gameday
- Football Gameday
- Mobile Tickets
- Travel Center
- Tickets
- Give
