CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – WKU Baseball (12-6) claimed its sixth win in the last seven games by beating Austin Peay (11-5) 12-9 in a thriller at Raymond C. Hand Park.
Â
Juniors Blake Cavill and Ethan Lizama combined for seven RBI on just two swings with a grand slam from Cavill and a go-ahead three-run home run from Lizama in the eighth inning to help lead the Hilltoppers over the Governors on Tuesday night.
Â
The Tops utilized eight arms on the mound with sophomore relief pitcher Elliott Rossell earning the first win of his collegiate career. The right-hander entered with one out in the seventh inning and didn't allow a run on one hit in 1.0 inning of work. Senior Mason Burns tallied his third save of the season with a clean frame in the ninth.
Â
WKU totaled five runs in the second inning that started with sophomore Dylan O'Connell driving in a run with a single through the left side. Two pitches later, Cavill launched a ball over the right field wall for his second grand slam and third home run of the season.
Â
The Governors got three runs back with an RBI single in the second and a two-run home run in the third to cut the Tops lead to 5-3.
Â
In the fourth, a sacrifice fly from junior Brady Browning scored a run before the Tops added another on a wild pitch to extend their lead to four.
Â
Austin Peay would not go away as the Governors struck for five runs in the home half of the fifth to take an 8-7 lead going into the sixth.
Â
The Hilltoppers responded two at-bats later, scoring on a balk with junior Caleb Marmo on third to tie the game at 8-8 in the seventh.
Â
In the bottom half of the inning, Austin Peay retook the lead with an infield single.
Â
The Tops were looking to rally trailing by one in the late stages and they did just that. With two runners on in the top of the eighth, Lizama blasted a ball over the batter's eye to regain the lead for WKU. Just a few at-bats later, junior Joey Baran, who entered to catch in the seventh, added an insurance run with a single to right to give the Tops a 12-9 lead.
Â
Junior Cal Higgins entered to start the bottom of the eighth and was nearly perfect, only surrendering a walk as tonight's setup pitcher. WKU turned to Burns for the final three outs and he didn't waste any time as he threw just 11 pitches. Burns, a usual strikeout pitcher, had to work a bit for the final three outs as he recorded two assists on his way to his third save of the season to help the Hilltoppers claim the win on Tuesday.
Â
UP NEXT
Â
The Hilltoppers will hit the road for a three-game series at Southeast Missouri State this weekend with first pitch on Friday set for 6 p.m. CT. All three games will be available to stream on ESPN+.
Â
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.
Western Kentucky University Athletics
- Champions Climb Here
- WKU Athletics
- Athletic Director
- Academic Services
- Annual Report
- Athletic Communications
- Athletic Hall of Fame
- Athletic Training
- Big Red
- 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
