AT THE GAME
- WKU (5-3, 0-0 CUSA) at #22 Kentucky (5-2, 0-0 SEC)
- Kentucky Proud Park | Lexington, Ky.
- Wednesday, Feb. 25 | 3 p.m. CT
- Watch:Â SEC Network+
- Listen:Â The Varsity Network
- Social: @WKU_Baseball | @WKUBaseball | @WKUSports
- Live Stats:Â StatBroadcast
- Game Notes:Â WKUÂ |Â UK
- Purchase Tickets:Â HEREÂ
LAST TIME OUT
WKU Baseball secured a 3-1 series victory over Southeast Missouri with a doubleheader split on Saturday, Feb. 21 and a doubleheader sweep on Friday, Feb. 20 at Nick Denes Field. After securing back-to-back wins on Friday, the Hilltoppers fell to the Redhawks, 8-7, in game one of Saturday's doubleheader before securing an 11-8 victory in game two to clinch the four-game weekend series and move to 5-3 overall.
Hilltopper infielder Lane Arroyos continued to power the Hilltopper offense through the series, totaling seven hits with four doubles, seven RBIs and four runs scored for the series against the Redhawks. The Texas native currently holds a .767 slugging percentage through eight games with a total of 12 hits, five doubles, two homers and eight runs scored on 30 at-bats. The Hilltopper first baseman also charts a .982 fielding percentage with a team high 49 putouts and five assists, turning two double plays on the season.
Arroyos paced the Tops' offense with a 3-for-5 effort in game one of the series last weekend, totaling two doubles and two RBIs. DH Camden Ross went 3-for-5 with two RBIs, and catcher Ian Nguyen finished 2-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Austin Haller tallied two hits, contributing to the team's 16 total hits on the day.
Gavin Perry got the start in game one and went 4.1 innings, allowing four runs while striking out three. Mick Uebelhor earned the win with 3.2 scoreless innings of relief, allowing just two hits and striking out two. Dawson Hall closed the final frame with two strikeouts.
Game two saw left-handed closer Zach Lyles record a scoreless ninth to close the game and secure a 4-2 victory in the Tops' favor. Aaron Robertson turned in a strong start, tossing 6.0 innings with seven strikeouts and allowing just two runs. Robertson currently holds a 1.80 ERA with 14 strikeouts through 10.0 innings pitched on the season.
Jude Favela earned the win with 2.0 scoreless innings out of the bullpen. Reid Howard finished 2-for-4 with a double and one RBI, while Haller went 2-for-3 with a triple and one RBI and Kiefer Tarnoki added two hits and an RBI.
Despite rallying from a seven-run deficit in the third game of the series, the Tops left four runners on base in the final 3.5 innings and were unable to even the count late, falling 8-7 in the first of Saturday's doubleheader. Gage Olsen tossed 4.2 scoreless innings in relief, allowing just two hits with eight strikeouts. Arroyos finished 2-for-5 with three RBIs, while JP Acosta totaled two RBIs and Haller recorded two hits with one RBI. Hayden Nazarenus scored three runs on the day.
The series finale saw a strong start for the Tops highlighted by a three-run 428-foot homer to left center by Kyle Hayes in the bottom second, giving WKU a 6-1 lead early. Lyles closed the final two innings without allowing a run to secure an 11-8 victory and give WKU the 3-1 series win.
SERIES INFORMATION
- WKU holds a 30-41 all-time series record against Kentucky
- The last meeting between the teams came on April 29 of last season with the Tops securing a 6-4 victory at Nick Denes Field
- The teams first met in 1967 with WKU securing a 9-7 road win in Lexington
- WKU trails 16-26 all time in contests held in Lexington; the Tops' last road meeting with UK was on February 27, 2024, with the Wildcats securing a 0-5 victory
SCOUTING THE WILDCATS
- Kentucky enters the midweek contest coming off a 2-1 series victory over Evansville last weekend
- UK pitching allowed only six runs in the weekend series with the Aces, with the bullpen allowing just two runs in 13.0 IP
- Freshman Will Coleman tossed 3.0 scoreless innings last week
- INF Hudson Brown posted back-to-back three-hit games for the Wildcats
- UK finished 2-2 on the week beginning with an 8-6 loss hosting Morehead State in a midweek on Feb. 17
- Wildcats head coach Nick Mingione holds 298 career wins, second all-time in Kentucky baseball history; Mingione has the second highest winning percentage of any coach to lead UK in at least 100 games and earned 2017 and 2024 SEC and National Coach of the Year honors
- UK has reached the NCAA Tournament each of the past three seasons for the first time in program history, including an appearance in the 2024 College World Series
ABOUT THE TOPS
2026 marks head coach Marc Rardin's fourth year on The Hill, coming off a landmark season leading the Hilltoppers to a 46-14 (18-9 Conference USA) final record in 2025 – the second-most wins in a season in program history. WKU secured a conference tournament title for the first time since 2008 and won its first CUSA Championship since joining the league in 2015. The Hilltoppers were the #2 seed heading into conference tournament play – the highest seed WKU has achieved since becoming a league member. The CUSA title earned WKU an automatic bid to the 2025 NCAA Tournament for the fifth NCAA Regional in program history and its first since 2009.
The 2025 season saw WKU reach 40-plus wins for the sixth time in program history and the first time in 16 years, marking the third consecutive season with 30 or more wins and the third year in a row the Hilltoppers have improved their win total. The Tops posted a stellar 30-3 record playing at home at Nick Denes Field – the most home wins of any Division I team in the 2025 season and the most wins at home in a season in program history. The Hilltoppers' 23-0 start at home served as the longest home winning streak in the country in 2025. WKU secured wins in 20 of the team's first 21 games in 2025, good for the best start in program and CUSA history. The Tops' 15-game winning streak also marked the second-longest winning streak in program history.
2025 also saw the Hilltoppers enter the top 25 in multiple national polls including a ranking as high as No. 17 in the Baseball America poll – the highest national ranking in program history. This came after a series win over No. 17-ranked Dallas Baptist and a sweep over CUSA foe Liberty. WKU broke program records for strikeouts and stolen bases in a single-season, totaling 126 stolen bases for the season and breaking the previous record of 109 set by the 1995 team. The WKU pitching staff totaled 513 strikeouts, exceeding 2024's previous record of 490. This also marks the first time the Tops have struck out over 500 batters in a season.
The historic regular season earned the Hilltoppers numerous postseason accolades, highlighted by Rardin earning the Keith LeClair CUSA Coach of the Year award. A pair of 2026 returners in sophomore shortstop Reid Howard and senior infielder Austin Haller each received postseason accolades in 2025, with Howard named to the 2025 CUSA All-Freshman Team and Haller selected to the conference's All-Tournament Team.
The 2026 Hilltoppers' roster returns nine key contributors from the 2025 club including Haller, Howard, senior infielder Kyle Hayes and senior right-handed pitcher Dawson Hall. Hall saw five starts on the mound with appearances in 17 games and a 7-2 record in 2025. Senior infielder Dalton Fiveash, senior catcher Camden Ross and southpaws Zach Lyles and Dominic Monaco also return for the Hilltoppers in 2025.
Senior right-hander Gavin Perry returns for the Hilltoppers in 2026 after appearing in 17 games with 10 starts and a 4-1 record on the mound in 2025. The California native posted a 2.80 ERA with a 4-1 record in 2025 while striking out 29 in 45.0 innings with a .259 opposing batting average. Perry was named opening day starter for the Tops entering the team's season-opening series with BYU.Â
Competing in a third season with the Hilltoppers and coming off All-CUSA Second-Team postseason honors in 2025, Hayes was named to the 2026 CUSA Baseball Preseason All-Conference Team. The West Chicago native appeared in 51 games with 47 starts at first base for WKU in 2025, slashing .363/.472/.673 with 10 home runs, 16 doubles, three triples, 56 RBI, 40 runs scored and five stolen bases. Hayes led the league with a .398 batting average in conference play in 2025.
The Hilltoppers were slotted fifth in the CUSA Baseball Preseason Poll following a vote by the league's 12 head coaches.
2026 NOTABLE NEWCOMERS
- JP Acosta (#4 INF) – A switch hitter from Fresno City College (2023-25), Acosta appeared in 89 games over two seasons at Fresno City College and posted a .346/.456/.539 slash line with 124 hits, 31 doubles, four triples, 10 home runs and 104 RBI in 2025. The California native totaled 100 runs for his career as a Ram.
- Parker Coley (#5 OF) – A graduate transfer from Southeastern Louisiana, Coley saw action in 46 games with 40 starts as a senior in 2025. The Louisiana native slashed .276 / .385 / .421 with nine doubles, four homers, 29 RBI, 34 runs scored and six stolen bases. Coley competed in 49 games as a junior at SLU, starting 42 of them and producing a slash line of .295 / .358 / .566, going 51-for-173 at the plate with 11 doubles and 12 home runs, good for second on the team and eighth in the Southland Conference for home runs. Coley finished the year named to the Southland Conference's All-Defensive Team for 2025.
- Logan Luckett (#6 UTL) – Luckett joins the Tops following two highly productive seasons at the NJCAA ranks, appearing in 107 career games at Southwest Tennessee Community College. Luckett delivered a breakout year in 2025, slashing .335/.443/.665 with 60 hits, 10 doubles, two triples and 15 home runs, driving in 59 RBI while scoring 53 runs. Luckett posted a .484 slugging percentage with eight homers and 42 RBI as a freshman in 2024.
- Cael Frost (#7 OF) – Frost joins the Tops' roster as a senior transfer from Nebraska after seeing action in 42 games and making 28 starts for the Cornhuskers in 2026. Frost batted .222 at the plate with four doubles and seven home runs, drove in 25 runs and scored 21 times. The Iowa native Posted a .359 on-base percentage and .454 slugging percentage while recording three multi-hit games and six multi-RBI contests. Frost was named to the Frisco Classic All-Tournament Team for 2025. Prior to Nebraska, Frost played one season at South Dakota State and was named Summit League Player of the Year in 2024 and First-Team All-Summit League, charting .343 at the plate with a .742 slugging percentage and .433 on-base percentage and a school-record 21 home runs. Frost drove in 59 runs while scoring 53 times and posting 20 multi-hit games, including seven games with three hits. Frost also recorded 15 multi-RBI performances and compiled a 19-game hitting streak from Feb. 18 to March 19. Frost finished the year earning Second-Team All-Region recognition for 2024.
- Kiefer Tarnoki (#10 OF) – A high-contact hitter with versatility and run-creation skills, Tarnoki enters 2026 with WKU after a standout 2025 season at Lake Land College that saw the Illinois native appear in 61 games, slashing .355/.460/.509 with 83 hits, 14 doubles, two triples and six home runs, adding 47 RBI, 73 runs scored and 12 stolen bases. Tarnoki posted a .460 on-base percentage in 2025. In 2024, Tarnoki totaled 42 hits and 13 doubles in 44 games.
- Daniel Stewart (#33 C/OF) – Stewart arrives to The Hill after a dominant season at Tennessee Wesleyan that saw the Alabama native appear in 60 games while anchoring the catcher position for the Bulldogs. Stewart slashed .436/.483/.808 with 102 hits, 25 doubles, one triple, 20 home runs, 79 RBI and 40 runs scored, and compiled a .989 fielding percentage behind the plate with 345 putouts, 20 assists and just four errors. His 20 homers paced the Bulldogs' lineup. Stewart was named Appalachian Athletic Conference Player of the Year for 2024.
- Aaron Robertson (#37 LHP) – Robertson joins the Tops' roster after a First-Team All-Sun Conference selection for Southeastern University in 2025. The Washington native saw 15 starts while posting a 10-2 record with a 1.99 ERA and 111 strikeouts, good for seventh all-time in a single season at Southeastern. Through 95 innings, and 383 batters faced, he held opposing bats to a .212 average. Robertson posted six complete games and two shutouts, and five of his 15 starts resulted in double-digit strikeout numbers, including a seven inning, 14 K, 4-1 win over No. 21 ranked Concordia (Neb.). Robertson twice earned Sun Conference Pitcher of the Week and was named to the Sun Conference All-Tournament Team and Avista NAIA World Series All-Tournament Team for 2025. Robertson finished the year as a NAIA Third-Team All-American selection.
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.
Â
