The Hilltoppers rallied from behind multiple times and exploded for five runs in the seventh inning to claim their 42nd win of the season—setting a new program record for most regular season victories. The offense was well-balanced, producing nine runs on 11 hits, while Ryan Wideman delivered a standout performance, breaking the program’s single-season stolen base record.
WKU Baseball secured a 9-4 victory over Jacksonville State on Friday afternoon at Nick Denes Field, evening the series in the process.
With the win, WKU locked in the No. 2 seed for the upcoming Conference USA Championship—the highest seeding they’ve achieved since joining the league in 2015.
Carlos Vasquez opened the scoring for WKU in the first, crossing the plate during a double play. Jax State took a 2-1 lead in the third on a two-RBI triple, but the Hilltoppers answered when Henry Brown stole home on a well-executed pickle play to tie the game.
The Gamecocks reclaimed the lead with an RBI double in the fourth, but Kyle Hayes leveled the score with an RBI single in the fifth. Jax State pulled ahead once again in the sixth, only for Hayes to tie it once more with a sacrifice fly in the bottom half.
WKU seized control in the seventh, sparked by Austin Haller’s two-RBI single. Kyle Hvidsten and Ryan Wideman followed with RBI singles of their own, and Ethan Lizama capped the rally with another run-scoring hit.
The win moves WKU to 42-11 overall (18-8 in C-USA), and improves their all-time record against Jax State to 5-7. This historic season also includes a 30-2 home record—the most home wins in a single season for the program, surpassing previous bests set in 1988, 2002, and 2009.
The Hilltoppers have secured the No. 2 seed in the upcoming Conference USA Championship—their best regular-season finish since joining the league in 2015. WKU will take on the No. 7 seed next Wednesday as tournament play kicks off at Worthington Field at Liberty Baseball Stadium in Lynchburg, Virginia.
Drew Whalen started on the mound for WKU, throwing four complete innings with three strikeouts, allowing three runs on five hits and three walks.
Out of the bullpen, Dawson Hall delivered a strong performance over three innings, giving up just one run on three hits while striking out three. He earned the win, improving his record to 6-1 on the season. Taylor Penn closed out the game with two perfect innings, retiring six straight batters and striking out two.
Offensively, the Hilltoppers put up nine runs on 11 hits, drawing 11 walks and collecting seven RBIs. They also swiped seven bases, the second-most in a game this season.
Ryan Wideman led the charge, going 3-for-4 with a double, an RBI, three stolen bases, two runs scored, and a walk. With 42 stolen bases on the year, he now holds the program’s single-season record, surpassing Carlos Akins’ mark of 41 set in 1995.
Kyle Hvidsten had a strong outing, going 2-for-3 with an RBI, a stolen base, two walks, and a run scored. Carlos Vasquez also delivered a multi-hit performance, finishing 2-for-4 with a stolen base, two runs, and a walk.
Kyle Hayes and Austin Haller both contributed with two RBIs apiece. Hayes went 1-for-2 with two walks, while Haller finished 1-for-4 with a run, a stolen base, and a walk. Henry Brown added a stolen base and scored on a clever pickle-play earlier in the game.
Reflecting on the team’s turnaround, Head Coach Marc Rardin credited the bounce-back to a shift in mindset:
“Yesterday, we were playing with too much pressure, trying too hard and getting outside of ourselves,” Rardin said. “Today, we focused on being ourselves—having fun while still handling our business. That confidence and energy showed in how we played. We’re going to keep building on this and keep moving forward.”
WKU will wrap up its regular season against Jax State on Saturday. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. CT at Nick Denes Field, with Senior Day festivities beginning at 12:30 p.m.
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