Stewart’s walk-off blast lifts Tops over DBU
Published 11:33 am Saturday, May 9, 2026
Western Kentucky senior Daniel Stewart celebrates as he circles the bases after hitting a walk-off, three-run home run in Friday’s 7-4 win against Dallas Baptist at Nick Denes Field. (SETH-PATRICK HOLMAN/WKU Athletics)
Daniel Stewart cranked a walk-off, three-run home run out of the park in the bottom of the ninth inning as Western Kentucky downed Conference USA baseball rival Dallas Baptist 7-4 Friday evening at Nick Denes Field.
Stewart logged his first walk-off as a Hilltopper with a three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth for WKU (27-23 overall, 12-13 CUSA). He finished 2-for-5 with three RBIs and two runs. Lane Arroyos also added a two-hit performance and finished 2-for-4 with a run, an RBI and a walk.
Mick Uebelhor earned the win on Friday night, shutting out the Patriots in the ninth to set up the walk-off in the bottom of the inning. Uebelhor finished with two strikeouts in an inning of work.
“This is what I try to teach them about toughness and resiliency, and the toughness was in them tonight,” WKU coach Marc Rardin said in a news release. “We came out with a win tonight, but our toughness will be tested by showing up tomorrow, respecting the game and trying to compete to be ready for the next battle.”
Stewart led off the WKU second and laced a double into the right-field corner. Cael Frost, on an 0-2 pitch, drove one into the alley in left center field to plate Stewart and give the Hilltoppers a 1-0 lead. Parker Coley then laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Frost over to third, and JP Acosta stepped in and logged an RBI groundout that scored Frost and gave WKU a two-run lead.
With two on in the third inning, DBU (28-22, 16-9 CUSA) logged a three-run home run to take a 3-2 lead over the Hilltoppers.
The Patriots added another in the frame to take a two-run lead.
With one out in the fifth, Reid Howard logged his first hit of the game. Then, with two out Camden Ross drove a ball into the gap in left center to plate Howard and bring WKU within a run.
The Hilltoppers loaded the bases in their seventh with one out. Arroyos hit a soft ground ball to the first baseman for an RBI to score Hayden Robbins and even the score.
Howard led off the WKU ninth with a base hit. After two outs were recorded, Arroyos then walked on five pitches to move Howard into scoring position.
Stewart then stepped up to the plate and on the first pitch launched a walk off three-run home run over the wall in left-center field to give WKU a 7-4 win in the series opener.
Gage Olsen started on the mound for the Hilltoppers Friday night. Out of the bullpen, WKU used Dawson Hall, Sam Frizzi and Uebelhor.
Hall had a career night in relief tossing a best 4 2/3 innings, allowing no runs on just one hit with three strikeouts. His 81 pitches on Friday mark a season high for the senior from Bowling Green.
“I thought it started with Dawson Hall putting up some zeroes and going 4 1/3 in relief. His stuff was pretty good, and they couldn’t dial in on him,” Rardin said. “Then (Sam) Frizzi comes in and does what he does and throws one slider, and they roll over it to get us out of the inning. It drew us up for (Mick) Uebelhor to come into the game and maintain it to give us a chance in the bottom of the ninth.”
Stewart paced the Hilltopper offense with a 2-for-5 game along with three RBIs, two runs, a double, and a home run.
Arroyos finished 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI. Both of his hits were infield singles. Arroyos also added a stolen base in the effort.
Howard was the third Hilltopper Friday that recorded a multi-hit game. Howard finished 2-for-5 with two runs.
Frost added one hit, a run, and an RBI in four plate appearances.
The Hilltopper offense logged 10 hits on Friday. WKU is 18-6 on the year when scratching 10 or more hits in a game.
With the walk-off, WKU now has three on the year and two in conference play.
WKU pitching held the Patriots to one home run Friday, which is just the third time in the last 10 games a team has held DBU to one home run or fewer.
The Hilltoppers and Dallas Baptist will play game two of the series on Saturday. First pitch from Nick Denes Field is set for 4 p.m. with audio streaming on the Varsity Network. WKU will also be recognizing 2026 seniors prior to the game.
