Whalen Dazzles as #20 Tops Rout Blue Raiders in 9-1 Rubber Game Win

Saturday, April 19

Bowling Green, Ky.

1:00 PM CT

Western Kentucky University

33-7, 11-4

Middle Tennessee

18-22, 4-11

Middle Tennessee

WKU

Photo by: Steve Roberts/WKU Athletics

Whalen Dazzles as #20 Tops Rout Blue Raiders in 9-1 Rubber Game Win

4/19/2025 6:09:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – #20 WKU Baseball defeated Middle Tennessee 9-1 claim the series win on Saturday afternoon at Nick Denes Field.

Drew Whalen held MTSU to just one run and tossed a career-high 7.0 innings with nine strikeouts while Kyle Hayes homered for the third consecutive game to lead the Hilltoppers to the 9-1 series-clinching win.

HOW IT HAPPENED
• Hayes' third home run of the weekend gave WKU a 1-0 lead in the second inning.
• A Blue Raider error put the second Hilltopper run on the board in the fourth.
• MTSU cut its deficit to 2-1 in the fifth with an RBI single.
• Four runs cashed in for WKU in the bottom of the frame. Ryan Wideman drove in two with a single before Hayes doubled to add another. Drew Barragan made it a 6-1 game with an RBI single to cap the inning.
• Another three runs came across for the Hilltoppers in the eighth as Reid Howard drove in one with an RBI single while another came around on some help from a Blue Raider error. Carlos Vasquez made the final score 9-1 with a sacrifice fly later in the frame.

NOTABLES
• WKU moves to 33-7 (11-4 CUSA) on the season and 135-120-2 all-time against Middle Tennessee (18-22, 4-11 CUSA).
• The Hilltoppers earned their second consecutive series win over the Blue Raiders in as many seasons. WKU has won the rubber game in back-to-back series victories over MTSU.
• WKU improves to 24-1 at home this season. Their 23-0 start at Nick Denes Field was the best in program history.
• Whalen got the starting nod on the mound. The right-hander tossed a career-high 7.0 innings and struck out nine batters. He allowed just one run on five hits and one walk. The Franklin, Tenn. native grabbed his Conference USA-leading eighth win and lowered his ERA to 1.86.
• Treyson Peters was the only arm to see action out of the bullpen. The right-hander fanned one in 2.0 perfect frames.
• The WKU offense scored nine runs on 10 hits and six walks with seven RBI.
• Hayes once again paced the offense in a 2-for-3 outing with a home run, a double, two RBI, two runs scored and a walk. The senior finished the weekend a blazing hot 7-for-10 with three homers, a triple, a double, five RBI, five runs scored, two walks and a stolen base.
• Wideman went 2-for-5 with two RBI, two stolen bases and a run scored. His 31 stolen bases are good for the fourth-most in a single-season in program history.
• Barragan and Howard each went 2-for-3 with an RBI while Howard added a pair of runs.
• Vasquez had a sacrifice bunt, a sacrifice hit and an RBI.

QUOTABLE
• "It's a big third game of the series. It takes a lot of will. That third game is who wants to show up and have that will. Obviously, who we got in our back pocket coming out there is Drew Whalen. Boy, he showed up and gave us what we needed today." – Head Coach Marc Rardin on the series win.

UP NEXT
• WKU hosts Evansville next Tuesday, April 22 at Nick Denes Field. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. CT.

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 X and @WKUBaseball on Instagram.