{"id":16264,"date":"2025-04-30T19:23:50","date_gmt":"2025-04-30T19:23:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jimmashek.com\/?p=16264"},"modified":"2025-04-30T22:52:21","modified_gmt":"2025-04-30T22:52:21","slug":"signature-victory-hilltoppers-bounce-back-from-fiu-disaster-turn-back-kentucky-6-4-in-rain-delayed-marathon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jimmashek.com\/?p=16264","title":{"rendered":"SIGNATURE VICTORY\/Hilltoppers bounce back from FIU disaster, knock off Kentucky, 6-4, in rain-delayed marathon"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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WKU’s RYAN WIDEMAN IS BATTING
A TEAM-HIGH .414 WITH 29 EXTRA-BASE HITS.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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WKU PLAYS HOST TO LOUISIANA TECH STARTING FRIDAY AT THE NICK; UK ON ITS WAY TO STARKVEGAS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Western Kentucky University’s third-year head baseball coach, Marc Rardin, had a pretty good poker face going Monday night at South Warren High School.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rardin relishes any chance he can get to watch his younger son, Griffin Rardin, play for the South Warren Spartans, in what he calls his “Dad Night” away from WKU’s Nick Denes Field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Hilltoppers had just returned from a disastrous weekend at Florida International University, getting swept by the Panthers in a three-game series. The skid sent the 17th-ranked Tops out of Baseball America’s Top 25, as well as out of a first-place tie in the Conference USA standings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Asked about the pending game against the University of Kentucky, Rardin deflected in the aftermath of the sweep in Miami. He wasn’t sure what to think. Didn’t have the arms to beat an SEC team. Or something like that. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who knows? Maybe the gamesmanship paid off in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Western Kentucky rallied from a 3-0 deficit, coming alive at the plate with a four-run fifth inning, and the Hilltoppers played flawless defense, while using five pitchers, in turning back the talented Wildcats, 6-4, before a paid crowd of 932 at WKU’s Nick Denes Field. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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WKU LEFT-HANDER PATRICK MORRIS.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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THE HILLTOPPERS ARE STILL SPORTING
AN IMPRESSIVE 3.04 TEAM ERA.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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WKU’s ETHAN LIZAMA WENT 2-FOR-4.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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‘WE PLAYED GOOD DEFENSE, PITCHED
WELL …” — WKU COACH MARC RARDIN<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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The game was interrupted by a rain delay of two hours, 17 minutes after potential severe weather and thunderstorms came rolling through South Central Kentucky. Both WKU and the Wildcats could have used the non-conference victory to boost their RPI. UK coach Nick Mingione’s team was spending the night on the road, too, on its way to Starkville, Mississippi, for a three-game SEC series against Mississippi State.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was an animated WKU dugout after the Tops’ first victory over UK since 2022, and the victory over UK changes the narrative with Louisiana Tech series on the horizon. Game One between the Hilltoppers (35-10 overall, 11-7 in C-USA) and La Tech (27-17, 11-6) is set for Friday night. First pitch is at 6:35 p.m.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marc Rardin was almost beaming when it was over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Almost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I think it’s a big win, after the weekend (at Florida International),” Rardin said. “We just needed to be on the board, just get back to being ourselves. We got 14 hits, put some runs up on the board, played good defense, pitched well …<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Yeah, it was against Kentucky, and that’s great, too … but just being ourselves, I thought that was the best thing for us.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last year, the Wildcats made their first appearance in the College World Series in school history. WKU, on the other hand, is looking for its first NCAA Tournament berth since the 2009 season, when the Tops were the runner-up in a four-team regional to Ole Miss in Oxford, Mississippi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY
ALWAYS BRINGS A BIG CROWD
TO WKU’s NICK DENES FIELD …<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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… AND THERE WAS PLENTY OF ACTIVITY
AT THE PATIO BEYOND RIGHT FIELD …<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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… CONSTRUCTION WORKERS AT THE PROJECT
NEXT DOOR KEPT AN EYE ON THE WEATHER …<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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… AND WE SETTLED IN
FOR A WEATHER DELAY
OF TWO HOURS, 17 MINUTES ….<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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… THE DIE-HARDS RETURNED
FOR THE FINAL 2.5 INNINGS …<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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… AND WKU’s MARC RARDIN
IS CONGRATULATED BY
UK COACH NICK MINGIONE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Western Kentucky improved to 26-1 this season at Nick Denes Field. WKU’s Treyson Peters (3-0) was the winning pitcher, while Ethan Walker (1-1) took the loss for the Wildcats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“It’s almost like we’re a different team at home,” Rardin said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Hilltoppers put the ball in play in the middle innings, and they launched two or three rockets off The Nick’s padded wall beyond the outfield. WKU shortstop Reid Howard ignited the fourth-inning rally by crushing a pitch from Walker, UK’s starting pitcher, that went for a double to left-center field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That put two base runners in scoring position for the top of the WKU lineup, and leadoff man Joe Siervo reached safely when UK third baseman Kyuss Gargett couldn’t handle a slow roller for an error. Carlos Vasquez then reached on a bunt single, and the ‘Cats threw it around the yard until Howard scored on a wild throw from Wildcats left fielder Cole Hoge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ryan Wideman, the Hilltoppers’ leading hitter, then ripped a two-run single through the left side of the infield, and WKU led for the first time, 4-3.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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KENTUCKY LED 3-0 AFTER
THE TOP OF THE FIFTH INNING.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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WKU LEFTY PATRICK MORRIS RETIRES
THE LEAD RUNNER IN THE EIGHTH.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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WKU’s GAVIN PERRY GAVE
HIS TEAM SOLID STARTING PITCHING.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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WKU’s ETHAN LIZAMA LEADS
THE TOPS WITH EIGHT HOME RUNS.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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WKU SHORTSTOP REID HOWARD (No. 3)
IS FLANKED BY HILLTOPPER TEAMMATES
ETHAN LIZAMA (LEFT) AND CARLOS VASQUEZ.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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“It was really good for us,” WKU outfielder Ethan Lizama said when it was over. “We came to the park on Monday after a junior college game and did some hitting, under the lights. The guys felt great. It carried over to today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“This is going to keep us going in the right direction.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Starting pitcher Gavin Perry certainly did his part, pitching into the fourth inning. The senior WKU right-hander gave up a first-inning run on Carson Hansen’s bunt single, but the Hilltoppers minimized the damage. Then, in the fourth, he gave up a run-scoring single to the Wildcats’ Ryan Schwartz, before he was thrown out trying to take an extra base by the WKU center fielder, Ryan Wideman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WKU’s Zach Lyles gave up a mammoth home run to UK’s James McCoy and would yield to teammate Treyson Peters. Senior left-hander Patrick Morris got the Hilltoppers to the weather delay, and returned to get his team to the ninth inning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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WKU SECOND BASEMAN
AUSTIN HALLER AT THE PLATE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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WKU’s CARLOS VASQUEZ BUNTS
FOR A BIG HIT IN THE FIFTH INNING.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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UK CATCHER RAPHAEL PELLETIER PICKS OFF
WKU’s RYAN WIDEMAN IN THE FIFTH.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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THE HILLTOPPERS BOUNCED BACK
FROM A TOUGH WEEKEND AT FIU …<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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… AND IT WAS A VICTORY
FOR THE TOPS TO SAVOR.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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The Wildcats scratched out a ninth-inning run on Tyler Bell’s bloop single to left-center field, but WKU’s Lucas Hartman was brought in to get the final out. Hartman retired the Wildcats’ Patrick Herrera on a routine ground ball, and the Tops could celebrate a signature victory before what was left of an appreciative crowd.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Patrick Morris told us from the beginning, during the rain delay, that he was good to go (for the eighth inning),” Rardin said. “His velocity was good. We got some good pitching from our guys tonight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Hopefully, it translates to the weekend.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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WKU PLAYS HOST
TO LOUISIANA TECH
THIS WEEKEND AT THE NICK.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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WKU COACH MARC RARDIN CONFERS
WITH ATHLETIC DIRECTOR TODD STEWART
AFTER THE WIN OVER THE WILDCATS.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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ETHAN LIZAMA AND THE TOPS
WENT 0-FOR-2 ON UMPIRE CHALLENGES.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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MI AMIGO FROM WKU FOOTBALL,
LARRY DEWEESE IS IN THE HOUSE!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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SAMANTHA MONEY BRINGS
ENTHUSIASM TO THE JOB AT WNKY-TV …<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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… AND THE HILLTOPPERS
ANSWERED THE BELL
AFTER THE WEATHER DELAY.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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WKU RADIO MAN RANDY LEE, ‘
AKA ‘COOL HAND LUKE,’ KNOWS
ALL ABOUT WEATHER DELAYS IN BASEBALL …<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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PIPER WILL ALWAYS TAKE
THE EXTRA BASE … FOR A TREAT.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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WKU PLAYS HOST TO LOUISIANA TECH STARTING FRIDAY AT THE NICK; UK ON ITS WAY TO STARKVEGAS Western Kentucky University’s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":16273,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16,19,20,17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16264","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hsbaseball","category-nationalsports","category-thesec","category-wkusports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jimmashek.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16264","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jimmashek.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jimmashek.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jimmashek.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jimmashek.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=16264"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/jimmashek.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16264\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16315,"href":"https:\/\/jimmashek.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16264\/revisions\/16315"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jimmashek.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/16273"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jimmashek.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=16264"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jimmashek.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=16264"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jimmashek.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=16264"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}