Tops Drop Regular Season Finale to Jax State

Saturday, May 17

Bowling Green, Ky.

1:00 PM CT

Western Kentucky University

42-12, 18-9

Jax State

33-23, 15-12

Jax State

WKU

Photo by: Steve Roberts/WKU Athletics

5/17/2025 5:03:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – WKU Baseball dropped its regular season finale to Jax State 9-6 on Saturday afternoon at Nick Denes Field.

Prior to this game, the Hilltoppers had already clinched the #2 seed in next week's CUSA Championship in Lynchburg Va.

HOW IT HAPPENED
• Jax State led off the game with a solo home run to take a 1-0 lead.
• Reid Howard launched a solo homer to left field to tie the game in the second inning.
• The Gamecocks retook the lead with an RBI single in the third.
• A two-run home run from Ethan Lizama put WKU in front 3-2 in the bottom of the frame.
• Jax State got the advantage back with a five-spot in the fifth. A two-RBI single put the Gamecocks in front before a bases-clearing double extended their lead to 7-3.
• Kyle Hvidsten left the yard with a two-run shot in the seventh to cut the deficit to 7-5.
• Hvidsten made it a one-run game with a sacrifice fly in the eighth.
• The Gamecocks added a pair of insurance runs with a two-run homer to extend their lead to 9-6 in the ninth.

NOTABLES
• WKU finishes the regular season 42-12 (18-9 CUSA) – the winningest regular season in program history – with a 30-3 home record. The 30 wins at home are the most in a season in program history.
• Patrick Morris made his second start of the weekend on the rubber. He tossed 2.0 frames, gave up one run and struck out three.
• Treyson Peters, Lucas Litteral, Lucas Hartman and Cal Higgins saw action in relief. The four combined to allow eight runs on seven hits with five walks in 7.0 innings.
• The WKU offense produced six runs on 15 hits and five free passes with six RBI.
• Howard recorded a four-hit day for the second time this season with a home run, an RBI and a run scored.
• Carlos Vasquez and Austin Haller both had three hits and a run scored in the contest.
• Lizama and Hvidsten each had a two-run home run. Hvidsten totaled three RBI on the day while both of them scored one run.
• Kyle Hayes had a multi-hit day, going 2-for-5.

UP NEXT
• WKU will begin CUSA Championship play as the #2 seed and face off against #7 seed New Mexico State to open tournament play on Wednesday, May 21 in Lynchburg, Va. at Worthington Field at Liberty Baseball Stadium.

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.