Over the years, Western Kentucky University and Murray State University have played hundreds of games in a variety of sports. They were huge rivals in the Ohio Valley Conference.
This weekend they will have a good chance of playing one of their most meaningful games ever.
WKU and MSU are two of four teams from the Commonwealth of Kentucky who are playing in the regionals of the NCAA national baseball tournament. The University of Louisville (35-21) is a number two seed, WKU and the University of Kentucky are three seeds, and Murray is a four.
The Cardinals’ two seed is impressive, but it is overshadowed by their being in the same regional as the nation’s top seed, Vanderbilt. Kentucky (29-24) plays number two West Virginia with homestanding Clemson seeded number one.
Here’s where the plot thickens. Both the WKU Toppers and the MSU Racers are headed to Oxford, Miss. Western (46-12) goes against number two Georgia Tech of the ACC (40-17) and Murray (39-13) plays number one Ole Miss (40-19), which finished second in the SEC Tournament to Vandy.
In an early-season classic in late February, Murray State outlasted WKU 2-1 in 12 innings in the third game of the season. Now, if the seedings hold up, one of them will deal the other its last game of this special season in the losers’ bracket. The other’s season and hopes will stay alive.
Western’s 46 wins total is the third highest among the 64 teams remaining in the hunt for berths in the NCAA World Series.
The NCAA Oxford Regional will be at Oxford-University Stadium on the campus of Ole Miss from May 30-June 2. The Hilltoppers and Yellow Jackets will be the first game on Friday, May 30 with first pitch at 3 p.m. CT. The Rebels and Racers will round out the day with a 7 p.m. CT matchup. The games will be televised on ESPN+ Friday.
WKU will be making its fifth appearance at the NCAA Regionals and first in 16 years. The Hilltoppers were one win away from advancing to the Super Regionals in 2009, losing to #8 Ole Miss in the regional championship, 4-1.
WKU has received several postseason nods as Head Coach Marc Rardin was named the CUSA Head Coach of the Year while Pitching Coach Dillon Napoleon was awarded the CUSA Assistant Coach of the Year. Star outfielder Ryan Wideman was selected as the league’s Player of the Year and sophomore right-hander Drew Whalen was tabbed as the CUSA Pitcher of the Year.
The Hilltoppers led CUSA with nine all-conference selections. Wideman, Whalen and Lucas Hartman were placed on the All-CUSA First Team while Jack Bennett, Cal Higgins, Carlos Vasquez and Kyle Hayes were featured on the All-CUSA Second Team. Reid Howard and Taylor Penn were recognized on the CUSA All-Freshman Team.
Ethan Lizama earned the Russell D. Anderson CUSA Tournament Most Valuable Player after hitting .389 and launching three home runs with seven RBI in tournament play. Lizama, Wideman, Vasquez and Austin Haller were listed on the CUSA All-Tournament Team.
Murray State was both regular season and tournament champs in the Missouri Valley Conference. Here are their honors:
Dan Skirka Coach of the Year, Conner Cunningham Freshman of the Year,
First Team All MVC: Isaac Silva, Nic Schutte, Jonathan Hogart, Will Vierling
Second Team All MVC: Dylan Zentro, Carson Garner, Dom Decker, Luke Mistone
Honorable Mention All MVC: Dustin Mercer
Defensive Team All MVC: Silva, Hogart, Garner, Mistone
In the Missouri Valley tournament, the Racers beat Belmont 15-14, SIU 10-5, UIC 5-2 and Missouri State 10-5 in the championship game.