BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – The Diamond 'Dogs (27-17, 11-6 CUSA) look to bounce back after dropping their first weekend series in over a month, set to face the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (35-10, 11-7 CUSA) in a battle among a pair of top four CUSA squads.
 
Series Information
Date: May 2-4, 2025
Venue: Nick Denes Field (Bowling Green, Ky.)
Time: 1 p.m. CT (Friday) | 4 p.m. CT (Saturday) | 1 p.m. CT (Sunday)
Watch: ESPN+ (Friday & Saturday only)
Radio: Sportstalk 97.7 FM / LA Tech Athletics app
Stats: LATechSports.com/stats
Weekend Rotation: LHP Luke Cooley (Friday) | RHP Brooks Roberson (Saturday) | TBA (Sunday)
 
Series History
Series Record: 29-19 vs. WKU
Last Meeting: May 12, 2024 (W, 7-1)
Streak: W3
 
The Bulldogs' last time out they took an 11-6 midweek victory at the Love Shack over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Tuesday, April 29 before their Wednesday game was cancelled due to inclement weather.
 
LA Tech swept the Hilltoppers at the Love Shack in 2024 during Senior Weekend, opening up with a thrilling 9-7 comeback victory in the Friday game, scoring four runs in the ninth capped off by a three-run walk off blast from Ethan Bates.
 
The 'Dogs run ruled WKU on Saturday, 12-2 in seven innings, to clinch the series before earning the sweep with a 7-1 victory. Tech trailed 1-0 entering the bottom of the seventh before Bates tied it with a solo shot and a six-spot in the eighth was enough for the 'Dogs to take the series finale.
 
The Bulldogs won the weekend in Bowling Green in 2023 after taking the first two games to clinch the series. Tech has won 19 of the last 25 matchups against the Hilltoppers and have not lost a weekend series to them since 2015. The last time the 'Dogs swept WKU on the road dates back to 1997.
 
Freshman Trey Hawsey has been on a tear offensively of late, belting four homers in his last five games and is second behind Sebastian Mexico with a .321 batting average. Hawsey and Mexico are both tied for the team lead with eight jacks apiece this season.
 
In CUSA games, Hawsey sits in the top 10 in batting average (.368), slugging percentage (.737), on-base percentage (.493) and RBI (19). He sits in the top five in conference competitions in OPS (1.230) and home runs (6).
 
Previewing the Hilltoppers
Western Kentucky enters the weekend sitting fourth in the conference standings after leading CUSA for nearly the entirety of league play before being swept by FIU in Miami the previous weekend.
 
The Hilltoppers are led by head coach Marc Rardin, who is in his third year leading the WKU baseball program. He has notched a 30-win season in all three seasons, compiling a career 104-58 record. Rardin has led WKU to a top-50 RPI as well as seeing his team among the top 25 in the country prior to the FIU series.
 
Ryan Wideman has been a standout player at the plate and on the bases for the Hilltoppers. He leads CUSA and ranks sixth in the nation with 35 steals on 45 attempts, while his .414 batting average also sits atop the conference and is among the top 20 in Division I. He is the only player with at least 50 hits and one of two Hilltoppers with at least 40 RBI.
 
Ethan Lizama leads the team with eight bombs, sitting as one of four WKU batters with above a .320 average. Kyle Haynes has posted an impressive .389 average thus far with a team-best 1.219 OPS. Lizama and Wideman are the only two players to have started in 40 games this season.
 
Jack Bennett is the projected starter for WKU to open the series on Friday. Bennett, a right-handed junior from Paducah, Kentucky listed as 6-foot 2-inches and 210 pounds, enters the weekend carrying a 2.05 ERA, which ranks second in CUSA and among the top 10 in the country.
 
He has just 41 strikeouts through 48 1/3 innings of work yet has allowed 11 earned runs on 45 hits and 13 walks as well as contributing to a pair of shutouts with a 6-1 record.
 
Drew Whalen will start on the bump for the second game of the weekend, carrying a 2.65 ERA and an 8-2 record, leading CUSA in wins. His 72 strikeouts are the third-most in the league, allowing 17 earned runs through 57 2/3 frames on 47 hits and 19 walks.
 
Sunday's starter for both teams is to be announced.
 
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