Hilltoppers Split Doubleheader Against Milwaukee

Saturday, March 9

Bowling Green, Ky.

1:00 PM CT

Western Kentucky University

10-5

Milwaukee

0-12

Milwaukee

WKU

Photo by: Evan Brown/WKU Athletics

3/9/2024 9:10:00 PM | Baseball

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BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – WKU Baseball (10-6) split a doubleheader with Milwaukee (1-12) on Saturday at Nick Denes Field. The Hilltoppers won the first game 8-3 while the Panthers responded with a 6-5 victory in an extra-inning thriller.

The first game was back-an-forth early on as the Hilltoppers got on the board first with junior Brady Browning's second home run of the weekend before the Panthers answered with a three-run third inning.

WKU cut the deficit to 3-2 in the fourth courtesy of an RBI groundout from junior Jaylin Rae, who returned to the Hilltopper lineup after being sidelined with injury.

The Tops retook the lead for good in the fifth as a fielding error on a single by junior Camden Ross brought around a run to tie the game. That was followed by a balk by the opposing pitcher, scoring junior Caleb Marmo. WKU capped a three-run fifth inning by executing a "pickle" play that saw junior Ethan Lizama score when Brady Browning got caught in a rundown between first and second.

The Hilltoppers added a pair of insurance runs in the sixth on a double by junior Austin Haller and sophomore Dylan O'Connell's second home run of the season to push their lead to 8-3.

Sophomore Lucas Litteral earned the win with 2.0 scoreless innings in relief, not allowing a hit while striking out three.

In game two, the Panthers jumped out to a 2-0 lead by way of an error in the third and an RBI single in the fourth, but Browning's second home run of the day, third of the weekend, and fourth of the season knotted things at 2-2 in the home half of the fourth.

In the seventh, Milwaukee used a sacrifice fly to take a 3-2 lead, but the Tops responded once again with back-to-back RBI singles from juniors Blake Cavill and Ethan Lizama to take a 4-3 edge.

The Panthers evened the score in the eighth on another error by the Hilltoppers before an RBI single gave Milwaukee the 5-4 lead, but WKU would not give up as junior Joey Baran delivered a two-out, RBI double to send the game into extra innings.

An RBI double in the top of the twelfth proved to be the difference for the Panthers, taking the 6-5 win to earn the doubleheader split.

Eight Hilltopper pitchers took the mound in game two with senior Mason Burns earning the losing decision after striking out four in 1.2 innings of work.

UP NEXT

First pitch for Sunday's game between the two teams is set for 1 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.