Western Kentucky’s baseball team defeated Central Michigan 9-4 and 2-0 to sweep the doubleheader on Friday at Nick Denes Field.

The sweep moves the Hilltoppers to 8-1, marking the best start WKU has had since the 1974-75 season.

The WKU pitching staff allowed just three earned runs in 18 innings, while the Hilltopper offense totaled 11 runs on 16 hits.

In the opener, Central Michigan scored first with a sacrifice fly in the first inning, marking the first time this season WKU has not scored first.

The Hilltoppers put three runs on the board in the third inning to take a 3-1 lead with back-to-back RBI walks from Camden Ross and Kyle Hvidsten and an RBI single from Joe Siervo.

Ryan Wideman tacked on another in the fourth inning with an RBI on a sacrifice fly to give WKU the 4-1 advantage.

The Chippewas cut the deficit to 4-2 in the fifth with a sacrifice fly.

A Hilltopper error and a Central Michigan RBI single tied the game 4-4 in the sixth as two more runs came across for the Chippewas.

WKU used a four-run seventh inning to retake the lead that started with an RBI single from Hvidsten before Carlos Vasquez cleared the bases with a three-RBI double to extend the lead to 8-4.

A sacrifice fly from Caleb Marmo added an insurance run to put the final tally at 9-4.

Ethan Lizama’s fourth home run of the season got the scoring started in game two to give WKU a 1-0 lead after three innings.

An RBI triple from Caleb Marmo in the bottom of the sixth doubled the Hilltopper lead and put the final run on the board, clinching the sweep for WKU with the 2-0 win.

WKU improves to 6-9 all-time against Central Michigan.

Treyson Peters got the starting nod on the mound in game one of the doubleheader. The senior recorded his longest start of the season as he fanned six Chippewas in 5 1/3 innings of work. He allowed three earned runs on five hits and three walks.

WKU relievers Dawson Hall, Cal Higgins and Evan Jones saw action out of the bullpen in game one. Hall picked up his second win of the season after holding Central Michigan scoreless in 1 2/3 innings. Higgins and Jones finished the final two frames and combined for two strikeouts while not allowing a run on three hits. Jones collected the first save of his career in the win.

Game two saw Jack Bennett start on the mound for the Tops – his second of the season. The right-hander was exceptional in seven shutout innings as he totaled seven strikeouts while only conceding three hits and one walk.

Zach Lyles and Lucas Litteral came out of the bullpen for WKU in the final two frames. The duo combined for three strikeouts without surrendering a hit.

Three Hilltoppers recorded multi-hit efforts in Vasquez, Hvidsten, Wideman and Marmo. Vasquez was 3-for-7 on the day with three RBI, a double and a run scored. Hvidsten reached base six times in a 3-for-5 outing with two RBI, two doubles and two runs scored. Wideman had a team-high four hits with two runs scored, an RBI and a double.

Lizama’s only hit of the day was an opposite field, solo home run in game two. The Guam native now has four home runs this season, a team-high.

WKU will continue its four-game series against Central Michigan on Saturday. First pitch from Nick Denes Field is schedule for 1 p.m.