The Western Kentucky baseball team is in its longest losing streak of the year.

The Hilltoppers fell to Marshall 8-4 on Sunday at Nick Denes Field. It capped off a series swept for the Thundering Herd and gave WKU its ninth consecutive loss.

WKU (13-26 overall, 4-14 Conference USA) previously had an eight-game losing streak earlier this season. The Hilltoppers are tied with Rice and FIU at the bottom of the C-USA standings.

After a close 2-1 loss in Friday’s series opener against Marshall (19-21-1, 8-10), the next two games weren’t as close. WKU lost 8-1 to the Herd on Saturday, before Sunday’s 8-4 decision.

Sean Bergeron made his return to the mound from injury for WKU, but the Hilltoppers got off to a rocky start.

Marshall plated three runs in the first inning with an RBI ground out from Luke Edwards, an RBI single from Kyle Schaefer and on a WKU error during a play in which Jordan Billups doubled to left-center.

The Hilltoppers answered quickly with a three-run homer from Andrew Delaney in the bottom of the inning, but the Herd pulled ahead from there.

Marshall took the lead in the third with an RBI single from Cole Williams, a sacrifice bunt from Daniel Carinci and an RBI single from Geordon Blanton. The Herd tacked on a run in each the fourth and fifth innings with a sacrifice fly from Billups and a single from Travis Sankovich.

WKU added a run in the eighth on a sacrifice fly from Tristin Garcia, but Ryan Capuano took over on the mound in the ninth and closed out the Marshall victory, allowing a hit and striking out one in his one inning of work.

Zac Addkison picked up the win, allowing three runs on four hits and a walk with six strikeouts in six innings. Cole Agemy allowed a run with one walk and a strikeout in 1.2 innings, and Louis Davenport recorded an out in relief for the Herd.

Marshall is next scheduled to host Charlotte in a three-game series next weekend.

Bergeron allowed three runs – two earned – on four hits with one strikeout in two innings during his return. Luke Sinnard is credited with the loss after allowing five runs on six hits and two walks in 2.1 innings. He struck out three. Logan Bowen pitched 1.2 scoreless innings out of the bullpen, allowing two hits, and Mason Vinyard shut out Marshall over the final three innings. Vinyard allowed three hits and a walk and struck out four.

WKU is scheduled to travel to Louisville for a 5 p.m. CT game Tuesday, before heading to Houston to face Rice in a three-game series next weekend.