WKU Set to Face Milwaukee in Final Four-Game Series of 2024

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – WKU Baseball is set to host its third and final four-game series as they welcome the Milwaukee Panthers to Bowling Green this weekend.

SCHEDULE
• The Hilltoppers and Panthers will begin the series on Friday starting at 3 p.m. CT.
• Saturday will feature a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. CT with game two starting 30 minutes after the conclusion of game one.
• The series finale will begin at 1 p.m. CT on Sunday.

LAST TIME OUT
• WKU split a four-game series 2-2 with West Virginia last weekend. After dropping the first two games of the series, the Hilltoppers responded with two, one-run wins to even the series and earn a split with the Mountaineers.
• In both games, WKU used a four-run inning to take an early lead, each with a two-run home run from Brady Browning in game one and Dylan O'Connell in game two.
• The Hilltoppers maintained a close lead throughout the two games, each ending with a save from the Tops closer, Mason Burns.
• WKU had its midweek game at Bellarmine postponed due to weather conditions. The game will be rescheduled to a later date.

BURNS IS BACK
• Hilltopper closer Mason Burns recorded two saves in last weekend's series against West Virginia, shutting the door on the Mountaineers to secure back-to-back wins for WKU.
• After an unexpected start to the season, the right-hander compiled six strikeouts in 3.1 innings of action without allowing a run on three hits and no walks, picking up where he left off at the end of 2023 when he went 26.1 straight innings without an earned run allowed to finish the season.
• Head coach Marc Rardin and pitching coach Dillon Napoleon have made it clear that Burns is the arm they will look to when the game is on the line in 2024.

BOUNCE-BACK BLAKE
• Blake Cavill could not be stopped in the beginning of 2024, hitting .650 with an OPS of 1.726 and 13 RBI two weeks into the season, but has hit a bit of a slump since playing at Kentucky last week.
• The junior has recorded just three singles in 18 at-bats without an RBI in the last five games.
• Despite the tough week, the Australian still leads the Hilltoppers in batting average (.395), runs (14), doubles (6), home runs (2), RBI (13), total bases (29), slugging percentage (.674), walks (11), and on-base percentage (.536).

THE SACRIFICE PLAY
• WKU leads the nation in sacrifice bunts with 21 this season thus far. In two years with Marc Rardin at the helm, WKU ranks second in the country with 77 sacrifice bunts, only trailing Wofford that has tallied 104 since the beginning of the 2023 season.
• Zayd Brannigan, Joey Baran, and Caleb Marmo all rank top 50 in the nation in individual sacrifice bunts.
• Brannigan sits at seventh with four while Baran and Marmo are tied for 21st with three each.

SERIES HISTORY
• WKU and Milwaukee have met eight times in program history with the Hilltoppers owning a 5-3 series lead.
• The squads met seven times in the 1990s and once in the 2000s, with the Tops earning victories in four of the first five games and the Panthers taking two of the last three.
• The last meeting came in 2006 with WKU claiming a 14-13 win over Milwaukee.

SCOUTING THE HILLTOPPERS
• WKU is 8-5 after a 2-2 split with West Virginia last weekend.
• The Hilltoppers have three players hitting over .300, led by junior Blake Cavill (.395) with sophomore Dylan O'Connell (.340) and junior Joey Baran (.306) not far behind.
• On the mound, WKU holds a 4.10 team ERA with 120 strikeouts in 112.0 innings.

SCOUTING THE PANTHERS
• Milwaukee is 0-10 after a loss at Illinois-Chicago last Tuesday.
• The Panthers are led by Sean Tillman at plate, hitting .343.
• The Milwaukee pitching staff has produced a 5.80 team ERA and has recorded 74 strikeouts in 80.2 frames.

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.

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Players Mentioned

Joey Baran

Zayd Brannigan

Brady Browning

Mason Burns

Blake Cavill

Caleb Marmo

Dylan O'Connell