Western Kentucky got two home runs and five RBIs from Jacob Rhinesmith, but visiting West Virginia prevailed 11-9 in 10 innings Saturday at Nick Denes Field.

Rhinesmith went 4-for-5 overall and was hit by a pitch in the first inning; he’s now 7-for-10 in the first two games of the series vs. the Mountaineers.

With WKU facing a 5-0 deficit going into the bottom of the fourth, Tyler Robertson worked an eight-pitch walk with one out to get the rally going. Kevin Lambert singled to center field and Colin Butkiewicz followed with a walk to load the bases.

After Dillon Nelson struck out swinging in a seven-pitch at-bat, Rhinesmith took an 0-1 hanging breaking ball over the right-field wall and into the visitor’s bullpen.

West Virginia answered right back with a two-run home run by Chase Illig and a solo shot by Kyle Gray to push the lead back to 8-4. It was Gray’s second homer of the day, as he led off the fourth inning with a solo shot.

WKU rallied as a sacrifice fly by Robertson scored Chase Larsen in the fifth, then Rhinesmith’s second home run – a solo shot – came in the sixth. Sam McElreath added a solo homer in the seventh – his first as a Hilltopper – and Butkiewicz tied the game at 8 when he singled in Ray Zuberer III with two outs later in the inning.

The relief effort from Michael Darrell-Hicks kept the Mountaineers silent during that span, as the sophomore righty from South Warren High School pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings with four strikeouts. Hicks threw 24 of 38 pitches for strikes and allowed only one hit.

In the top of the ninth, reigning Big 12 Player of the Week Kevin Brophy hit an opposite-field solo home run just inside the left-field foul pole off Ben Morrison to give West Virginia the lead.

WKU answered as Zuberer crushed a triple off the right-center field wall with one out and Robertson brought him in with another sacrifice fly to knot the game at 9 and send it to extras.

In the 10th, Morrison allowed two runs, one earned on a walk, stolen base, single and sacrifice fly and the Mountaineers (4-5) took the lead once again. Despite Rhinesmith’s fourth hit of the day in the bottom half – a single to center field – the Hilltoppers (5-6) couldn’t answer.

Despite blowing the save in the bottom of the ninth, West Virginia left fielder Braden Zarbinsky got the win on the mound and went 5-for-5 at the plate with three runs scored and the game-winning RBI hit.

Sunday’s series finale between WKU and the Mountaineers is at noon at Nick Denes Field.