Liberty University
17-21, 9-5
Western Kentucky
28-12, 10-4
WKU Rallies for 10-7 Win over Liberty
4/20/2024 10:15:00 PM | Baseball
Trailing 4-0 after two innings, Liberty scored six unanswered runs to take a 6-4 lead into the bottom of the fifth. However, WKU whittled away at the Flames' lead and went in front for good with three runs in the seventh inning en route to the victory.
Center fielder Kane Kepley had three hits with an RBI and a run scored for Liberty. Teammate Macaddin Dye added two hits and drove in two runs.
Liberty drops to 9-5 in CUSA and 17-21 overall. With victories in the first two games, WKU takes the three-game series. The Hilltoppers improve to 10-4 in CUSA and 28-12 overall.
Box Score Highlights
Records: Liberty (17-20, 9-4 CUSA); Western Kentucky (28-12, 10-4 CUSA)
Location: Bowling Green, Ky. (Nick Denes Field)
WP: Drew Whalen (2-2) | LP: Ben Blair (3-4) | SV: Mason Burns (11)
Scoring Summary
1st – WKU – Lizama doubles, Haller scores, 1-0
1st – WKU – Cavill flies out, Ross scores, 2-0
2nd – WKU – O'Connell reaches on fielder's choice, Brannigan scores, 3-0
2nd – WKU – Ross walks, Rae scores, 4-0
3rd – LIBERTY – Foster doubles, Dye and Horton score, 4-2
4th – LIBERTY – Dye flies out, Kepley scores, 4-3
4th – LIBERTY – Sweatt singles, Marsh scores, 4-4
5th – LIBERTY – Simmons doubles, Rabon scores, 5-4
5th – LIBERTY – Kepley singles, Simmons scores, 6-4
5th – WKU – Browning singles, Cavill scores, 6-5
6th – WKU – Cavill singles, Haller scores, 6-6
7th – WKU – O'Connell singles, Browning scores, 7-6
7th – WKU – Lizama singles, Haller and O'Connell score, 9-7
8th – WKU – Rae flies out, Brannigan scores, 10-7
Notable Numbers
- Each team had 12 hits in the game. Liberty committed two errors, while WKU made one.
- The Flames left 11 men on base. The Hilltoppers left 12.
- Liberty second baseman Aidan Sweatt joined Dye with two hits in the contest. He drove in a run with a single.
- Reliever Ben Blair, the third of five Liberty pitchers in the game, takes the loss. Blair gave up four runs on five hits over 2 1/3 innings. He struck out one and walked one.
- Drew Whalen picks up the win for WKU. The fourth of six Hilltoppers to pitch in the game, he pitched two innings of scoreless relief. He allowed one hit and struck out two batters.
- Mason Burns, who is tied for the national lead in saves, pitched a scoreless ninth to record his 11th save.
- First baseman Blake Cavill had three hits and two RBI, while right fielder Ethan Lizama had two hits and three RBI for the Hilltoppers.
Beyond the Box Score
- The Hilltoppers win the first two games of the conference series and move into first place in the standings.
- Kepley records his team-leading 15th multi-hit game. He leads the Flames and is sixth in CUSA with 40 runs scored.
- With two hits today, Dye has reached base in 16 consecutive games to tie outfielder Camden Troyer for the longest reached base streak this season. He also collected his team-leading 12th multi-RBI contest.
Up Next
Liberty and WKU will conclude their three-game series tomorrow. Game time is scheduled for 2 p.m. EST/1 p.m. CST.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: WHALEN, Drew (2-2)
L: Blair, Ben (3-4)
S: BURNS, Mason (11)
Batting:
2B: Marsh, Tanner 1 ; Sweatt, Aidan 1 ; Foster, Cam 1 ; Simmons, John 1
RBI: Kepley, Kane 1 ; Dye, Macaddin 2 ; Sweatt, Aidan 1 ; Foster, Cam 2 ; Simmons, John 1
SH: Sweatt, Aidan 1
SF: Dye, Macaddin 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kepley, Kane 1 ; Marsh, Tanner 2 ; Horton, Brayden 1 ; Dye, Macaddin 1 ; Rabon, Noah 1 ; Simmons, John 1
SB: Kepley, Kane 2
HBP: Horton, Brayden 1 ; Dye, Macaddin 1
Batting:
2B: LIZAMA, Ethan 1 ; BROWNING, Brady 1
RBI: O'CONNELL, Dylan 2 ; ROSS, Camden 1 ; LIZAMA, Ethan 3 ; CAVILL, Blake 2 ; BROWNING, Brady 1 ; RAE, Jaylin 1
SH: O'CONNELL, Dylan 1 ; BRANNIGAN, Zayd 1 ; BROWNING, Brady 2 ; RAE, Jaylin 1
SF: CAVILL, Blake 1 ; RAE, Jaylin 1
Base Running:
RUNS: O'CONNELL, Dylan 1 ; HALLER, Austin 3 ; ROSS, Camden 1 ; CAVILL, Blake 1 ; BRANNIGAN, Zayd 2 ; BROWNING, Brady 1 ; RAE, Jaylin 1
HBP: HALLER, Austin 1 ; BROWNING, Brady 1
