Tops Comeback Effort Falls Just Short Against Middle Tennessee on Saturday

Saturday, April 8

Bowling Green, KY

1:00 PM CT

Western Kentucky University

16-17, 2-10

Middle Tennessee

17-13, 8-4

Middle Tennessee

WKU

Tops Comeback Effort Falls Just Short Against Middle Tennessee on Saturday

4/8/2023 4:28:00 PM | Baseball

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BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – WKU Baseball dropped the series finale to Middle Tennessee, 5-4, on Saturday afternoon at Nick Denes Field.

The loss drops the Hilltoppers to 16-17 (2-10 in C-USA) while the Blue Raiders improve to 17-13 (8-4 in C-USA).

"I am a broken record right now. We out hit them. We had a crucial third inning where they did a good job of adjusting, sitting back on balls, and going to the opposite field. It started with a triple, then a double, then a base hit up the middle," said head coach Marc Rardin. "To me, what was the big thing is that we responded, and we scored a run, but then the next inning we hit the first batter and they try to bunt him over. It was a good bunt, but it has to be an out and it just starts again, and they end up getting that run, eventually on a strikeout. When you look at it, those little things add up. If that run does not cross, this is a tie ball game."

LHP Devyn Terbrak, the only pitcher to have started every series finale for the Hilltoppers, got the nod once again to start on the mound on Saturday. The senior surrendered just one hit through the first 2.0 innings, but a big third inning from the Blue Raider offense forced a pitching switch that saw Terbrak make his earliest departure of the season following the inning. The left-hander finished the day with two strikeouts in 3.0 frames while allowing four runs on seven hits. Three Hilltoppers saw action out of the bullpen for the final 6.0 innings in Mason Burns, Jake Gothrup, and CJ Weins. The three fanned six batters combined while giving up just one run on two hits and two walks.

The Hilltopper offense had their best performance of the weekend, knocking double-digit hits for the first time in seven games with four players notching multi-hit efforts. Ty Crittenberger, Kirk Liebert, Tristin Garcia, and Brett Blomquist all tallied two hits apiece with Crittenberger, Liebert, and Garcia each plating a run. C-USA's best doubles hitting team totaled three in today's game, giving them 72 on the year thus far.

SCORING SUMMARY

The Blue Raiders scratched first in the third, scoring four runs by way of an RBI double, and a couple of RBI singles to take a 4-0 lead.

WKU got on the board in the bottom of the third with a two-out, RBI single from Tristin Garcia to cut the deficit to 4-1.

Middle Tennessee added a run in the top of the fourth with a runner crossing home on a dropped third strike to extend its lead to 5-1.

The Hilltoppers responded in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI groundout from Andrew Delaney to make the score 5-2.

Ty Crittenberger made it a two-run game with an RBI double in the bottom of the seventh to put the score at 5-3.

A two-out, RBI single from Kirk Liebert in the bottom of the ninth made it a one-run game, but the Tops offense fell just short once again, losing 5-4 after a lineout with the tying run on first to end the game.

UP NEXT

The Hilltoppers host a midweek game against the Evansville Aces on Tuesday, April 11, starting at 6 p.m. CT at Nick Denes Field.

How to follow WKU Baseball: For complete information on WKU Hilltopper Baseball, visit WKUSports.com or follow the program via social media @WKU_Baseball on Twitter and @WKUBaseball Instagram.