BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - WKU Baseball (12-8, 3-0 CUSA) defeated FIU (7-14, 0-3 CUSA) 9-3 Sunday afternoon at Nick Denes Field.
The Hilltoppers scored nine runs on 12 hits Sunday, highlighted by Hayden Robbins' four hit day. Robbins finished 4-for-4 with three runs and two RBIs to lead the Hilltoppers offensively.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- With two out in the first Lane Arroyos hit one into the alley in left center for a standup double. Kyle Hayes then knocked one into right center field for an RBI base hit to score Arroyos and give WKU a 1-0 lead.
- In the third Camden Ross got aboard with an infield single and Arroyos walked. Hayes then laid down a sacrifice bunt to slide the runners over. Nazarenus then had an RBI groundout to the first baseman to score Ross and give WKU a 2-0 lead.
- In the fourth FIU tied the game at two all following a bases loaded double and an RBI groundout.
- With one out in the fourth, Hayden Robbins laced a ball into the right field corner and scored for an inside the park home run, the first for WKU since 2009.
- WKU added two more in the fifth with a pair of RBI groundouts from Hayes and Nazarenus to give the Hilltoppers a three run lead headed into the sixth.
- In the sixth Robbins managed his third hit of the day with a base knock to right field. Kiefer Tarnoki then hit WKU's third triple of the season to score Robbins. Austin Haller then lined one to the right fielder to score Tarnoki from third for a sacrifice fly and a 7-2 lead after six innings of play.
- In the eighth the Hilltoppers added two more runs. Manny Alberto managed a base hit and Robbins launched his fourth hit of the day into the left center gap to score Alberto. A wild pitch brought in Robbins to make it a 9-2 game.
- The Panthers added a run in the ninth but Zach Lyles would record the final two outs for WKU to complete the series sweep with a 9-3 win.
NOTABLES
- With the win WKU improves to 11-8 (2-0 CUSA) on the year and 11-7 at Nick Denes Field. WKU has now won four straight in the all-time series against FIU.
- Zack Serup started for WKU on Sunday. He would allow two runs on four hits with five strikeouts in a season best 4.0 innings of work.
- The five strikeouts for Serup Sunday afternoon mark the most for the redshirt-sophomore in a Hilltopper uniform.
- Out of the bullpen WKU used Jacob O'Day, Trey Reinberg, and Zach Lyles.
- Jacob O'Day was credited with the win Sunday afternoon coming in to relieve Serup and threw 2.1 innings, allowing three hits and one walk with two strikeouts.
- Hayden Robbins had a career day going 4-for-4 with two RBI, three runs, and an inside the park home run that gave WKU the lead in the fourth inning.
- Robbins added a double and two singles en route to his 4-for-4 day.
- Robbins is the first for WKU to go 4-for-4 or better since Ryan Wideman went 5-for-5 in a 14-8 win over EKU on March 19, 2025.
- His four hits are also a single-game season high for WKU.
- The inside the park home run for Robbins marks the first for WKU since Matt Payton did so against New Orleans in a 13-1 win on April 10, 2009.
- Lane Arroyos went 2-for-3 with a double and two runs.
- Arroyos has now had a multi hit game in 11 of his 20 so far this season and leads the team with 29 total hits.
- Kiefer Tarnoki started in center field for the Hilltoppers and went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run.
- Tarnoki had his first triple as a Hilltopper and just the third of the season for WKU to drive in Robbins in the sixth inning.
- Two more Hilltoppers in Kyle Hayes and Hayden Nazarenus added RBIs on Sunday with each going for two along with one hit each.
- The Hilltoppers have 10 or more hits in nine games this season. Three of the nine throughout the weekend sweep of FIU.
- The series sweep is the first this season for the Hilltoppers and the first in league play since a sweep of New Mexico State in Las Cruces last May.
- The last time WKU opened Conference USA play with a sweep was in March of 2019 when they swept UAB in a three game series at Nick Denes Field.
QUOTABLE
On the pitching performance Sunday head coach Marc Rardin said Pitching wise, we stepped up right away. I mentioned before the game that we had a 10th defender in the wind so there was no reason not to go after hitters. We only had two walks today which always gives the team a chance.
On the offensive effort Rardin added We just chipped away at the plate. Had a lot of line drives through the infield and on a day like today that's what we needed to do and we really pieced it together.
NEXT UP
WKU will travel to Nashville, Tenn. for a neutral site game against Belmont on Wednesday, March 18 at First Horizon Park. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. Tickets for the game can be purchased HERE.
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.
