Gavin Perry had a career day, earning the win and tossing nine strikeouts in 6.2 innings of work, allowing one run on three hits. Offensively, the Hilltoppers logged eight runs on 14 hits. Lane Arroyos managed his third three-hit game of 2026 along with three RBIs.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Austin Haller knocked a base hit through the right side for the first hit of the game with one out in the first.
- Camden Ross followed with a ground rule double over the wall in right center field to move Haller over to third.
- Lane Arroyos followed and notched his 32nd RBI of the season with an infield single.
- Kyle Hayes then lofted a ball into deep left center field to score Ross for a sacrifice fly. The Hilltoppers finished their half of the first with two runs on three hits.
- Arroyos launched his sixth home run of the year to give the Hilltoppers a three-run lead in the top of the fifth.
- Cael Frost led off the sixth for WKU and lined a triple into the right field corner, his first as a Hilltopper and the sixth of the season for WKU.
- Manny Alberto was next and grounded an RBI single through the right side to score Frost and give WKU a 4-0 lead.
- WKU added to the lead with an attempted steal from Coley to second that scored Alberto from third on the throw.
- With one out in the sixth, Kyle Hayes added another insurance run with his sixth long ball of the year.
- In the bottom of the sixth the Bearkats scored following a double and a pair of wild pitches.
- WKU's seventh run of the game came when a shallow fly ball was dropped just behind the infield on the left side as Coley scored from third, previously stealing second and advancing to third on a wild pitch.
- An Arroyos double into the left field corner scored Haller who reached on the error to give WKU an 8-1 lead.
- Sam Houston strung a couple hits together and made it an 8-2 game on an RBI double.
NOTABLES
- With the win WKU improves to 15-13 (4-5 CUSA) on the year.
- The Hilltoppers are now 6-3 all-time against the Bearkats and 3-3 against Sam Houston at Don Sanders Stadium.
- Gavin Perry started for the Hilltoppers on Sunday morning.
- Perry had a career day, tossing eight strikeouts allowing one run on three hits in a career best 6.2 innings of work.
- Perry set a new personal high of nine strikeouts, two more than his previous of seven set against FIU on March 13.
- Out of the bullpen WKU used Zach Lyles and Dawson Hall.
- Sunday marked the third three-hit game of the year for Lane Arroyos who finished 3-for-6 with a single, double, and a home run along with three RBIs.
- Arroyos now has 12 multi-RBI games this season, including four three-RBI outings.
- Kyle Hayes finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run.
- Dalton Fiveash started at third base Sunday. Fiveash went 3-for-5 with two singles and a double.
- The three hits for Fiveash are a career best on a career high five plate appearances.
- Cael Frost went 2-for-5 with a double and a triple along with a run.
- Manny Alberto managed his second consecutive two-hit game, finishing 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI.
- Parker Coley finished 1-for-2 with two walks and a team best two stolen bases.
- Austin Haller went 1-for-3 with a team high two runs and a stolen base.Â
- Sunday was WKU's fifth multi-home run game of the season with Arroyos and Hayes each recording their sixth home run of the year.
- All nine starters on Sunday for WKU recorded at least one hit.
- Sunday was the first time all of the starting lineup recorded at least one hit in the game since May 24, 2025 in a 10-2 win over Kennesaw State in the CUSA Tournament.
- WKU has recorded 10 or more hits in 11 games this season. The Hilltoppers are 8-3 when doing so.
- The Hilltoppers logged four stolen bases on Sunday. WKU has now recorded four or more in six games in 2026.
NEXT UP
WKU will open an eight game homestand, hosting Tennessee Tech on Tuesday, March 31 at 6 p.m. CT. Audio will be streaming live on the Varsity Network.
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.
