Hilltoppers season end with a loss to ULM

Well ladies and gentlemen,  just like that, the baseball Tops season is over and the WKU Sun Belt Conference era is over as well. While the Hilltoppers enjoyed their time in the SBC their departure wasn’t as sweet, as the ULM Warhawks handed Matt Myers and company a historic loss.

The afternoon started off rough in Mobile, Alabama as WKU allowed 3 runs on 3 hits and one error in the first inning. For todays match the Hilltoppers sent Josh Bartley to the mound. Bartley would hold strong for a few innings. However that being said it wasn’t pitching that would doom WKU. A season high FOUR errors would doom the Hiltoppers. Trailing 4 runs heading into the 3rd however Philip Diedrick would hit a two-out three run double to start a comeback for WKU. Regan Flaherty and Scott Wilcox would start the inning for WKU with back to back singles. Then Anderson Miller would walk up to the plate to belt a double that would score Flaherty. Wofford would draw a walk to set up a bases loaded situation for the designated hitter Diedrick.

A lead off triple in the bottom of the 3rd by ULM however would shift momentum in the direction of the Warhawks. With 4 runs combined in innings 3 and 5 WKU would never be able to catch back up. The Hilltoppers would have to look to their bullpen for yet more help this season. Coming in relief in the 5th inning Jake Thompson would last just 2.1 innings and would receive the loss moving his final line of his senior season to 2 wins and 2 losses.

Overall this season was lack luster for WKU. Heading into the season many expected WKU to be strong in the bullpen. However, that was the opposite of what we saw. WKU lost a handful of games due to breakdowns in the bullpen-last night for example-the Hilltoppers now know what they have to work on before next season rolls around. Overall the Tops left their mark on the Sunbelt and but Conference USA will bring even more opportunity to Western Kentucky University.