BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - WKU Baseball (28-24; 13-14 CUSA) defeated Dallas Baptist (29-23; 17-10 CUSA) 11-8 Sunday afternoon at Nick Denes Field. With the win, the Hilltoppers have clinched their third regular season series over the Patriots in the last three years.
The Hilltopper offense plated 11 runs on 11 hits on Sunday. Reid Howard paced a balanced offensive attack with three hits and three runs in five plate appearances. Cael Frost had a team best four RBIs to go along with a pair of hits and runs. Austin Haller added two hits, two runs, and an RBI in four at bats.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Austin Haller kicked off the offense with a base knock to left field. Reid Howard followed with a bunt single.
- Lane Arroyos then grounded out to move Haller and Arroyos over.
- After the second out was recorded, Cael Frost stepped in and on a 1-0 pitch; the left fielder sent one high over the wall in right to put the Hilltoppers ahead, 3-0.
- Ethan Reynolds was the leadoff man aboard for WKU in the second. A failed pick-off followed by a groundball out moved him over to third.
- After a pitching change, Reynolds crossed home plate on a wild pitch to extend the lead to four.
- A five-run Patriot third inning made it a 5-4 game in favor of DBU.
- WKU loaded the bases in the third and with two out JP Acosta singled into center field to plate Frost and Camden Ross and put the Hilltoppers in front, 6-5.
- Parker Coley then sent a single into left field that plated Daniel Stewart from second to extend the lead to two runs.
- A solo home run to lead off the fifth pulled DBU within a run of the Hilltoppers.
- Haller led off the Hilltopper sixth and logged his fourth home run of the season to give WKU an 8-6 lead.
- Howard then doubled down the left field line, then stole third, and Ross bunted, which allowed Howard to score for a three run WKU lead.
- A two-out two-run home run in the seventh again brought the Patriots within a run.
- Howard logged a one-out base hit in the eighth and advanced to third on a groundout.
- Ross then recorded an infield single to score Howard.
- Frost stepped in and lifted one out to center field that bounced off the wall to score Ross for an RBI triple and an 11-8 lead.
NOTABLES
- With the win WKU improves to 28-24 on the year and 13-14 in league play.
- The all-time series between the Hilltoppers and Patriots is now 8-7 in favor of DBU. WKU is 4-2 against the Patriots at Nick Denes Field.
- Dominic Monaco started on the mound for WKU on Sunday.
- Out of the bullpen, WKU used Jude Favela, Zach Lyles, Aaron Robertson, and Mick Uebelhor.
- Zach Lyles earned the win on Sunday. He allowed two hits, one run (earned), two walks while striking out three in 3.2 innings or work.
- Mick Uebelhor picked up his third save of 2026 on Sunday.
- He tossed 2.0 scoreless and hitless frames and recorded three strikeouts to close the door on the DBU offense.
- Austin Haller put out a balanced offensive line on Sunday, finishing with two hits, two runs, and an RBI in four plate appearances.
- Haller logged his fourth home run of the season in the sixth inning.
- Reid Howard finished up 3-for-5 and had a team best three runs along with a double.
- Cael Frost logged four RBIs on Sunday to lead all scorers.
- He finished 2-for-3 with the aforementioned four RBIs, two runs, and a walk.
- Both of Frost's hits were extra base hits in a home run and a triple.
- In his last 24 games, Frost has logged 22 RBIs
- WKU has now won the regular season series against DBU in each of the last three seasons.
- WKU is the only team in CUSA to do so against the Patriots over that period.
- Sunday marked the seventh series win for WKU and their sixth at home.
- Five of the seven series victories have come in CUSA play.
QUOTABLE
On Frost and the offensive effort, head coach Marc Rardin said When a player isn't doing well, someone else has to step up and Cael Frost has been doing that lately. It can be one other person; it can be multiple and today he did a great job along with a few others to help us win the series.
NEXT UP
WKU will travel to Newark, Delaware to wrap up the 2026 regular season against the Blue Hens. First pitch for game one on Thursday is set for 5:35 p.m. CT streaming on ESPN+ with audio 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.
