The Hilltoppers stranded 17 runners over nine innings Friday and fell 3-2 to Middle Tennessee at Nick Denes Field.
Austin Aucker hit a go-ahead homer in the eighth inning that lifted the Blue Raiders (10-8 overall, 1-0 Conference USA) to the one-run win. Friday marked the first day of league play for both MTSU and WKU (9-9, 0-1).
The Toppers’ 17 runners left on base were their third-most in a single game since 2005. WKU stranded 19 runners in 2012 against Southern Illinois and 19 again in 2013 against Kentucky.
The Tops wasted a strong start from left-hander Ryan Thurston.