Bac Totrong/photo@bgdailynews.com Western Kentucky sophomore Leiff Clarkson connects for a triple Sunday during an 11-6 win against Southern Illinois at Nick Denes Field.

The Western Kentucky baseball team can’t buy a week of normality right now.

The Hilltoppers (6-5) have won four straight games, but they’ve done it despite continued schedule disruptions from inclement weather.

WKU postponed its home game Wednesday against Austin Peay until April 28 because of rain. It’s scheduled to start a three-game series with Ohio State at Nick Denes Field at 3 p.m. Friday – but the weather isn’t cooperating.

“We’ve yet to play a Friday-Saturday-Sunday,” WKU coach Matt Myers said Tuesday. “I’m hoping the weather doesn’t come and knock that off, but if it does, we’ll adjust. I just hope it doesn’t come too much, because I think we have a chance to have a really good crowd this weekend. Ohio State draws, and I think we’re playing good. I think our fans will finally have a chance to see us play, but if Mother Nature hits, she hits.”

The APSU postponement was the eighth time WKU has changed dates, times or locations in the first three weeks of the season.

Some of the changes include one early cancellation, a home series against Evansville moved to Georgia and a road series at Southern Illinois moved to Bowling Green – only to be changed to a Saturday doubleheader and Sunday finale.

Wednesday’s winter weather will likely cause changes to the Ohio State series, but Myers is hoping for as close to a normal slate as possible with a big week on the horizon.

The Toppers play two midweek games at Mississippi State next week, followed by their first Conference USA series at home against Old Dominion.

“You can’t control it,” Myers said. “You have contingency plans. If you can’t play Friday, you try to do everything on a Saturday-Sunday. With the big trip down to Mississippi State on Tuesday and Wednesday – and it’s on national TV – you want to make sure you go in there with everybody that you have available. And then the most important thing is being set and ready to go with Conference USA opening up and Old Dominion.

“We haven’t had our routines. No one has, and it’s been devastating, but it is what it is.”

Ohio State (5-4) brings name notoriety to the Nick. The Buckeyes have most recently played two C-USA foes – Florida Atlantic and UAB – going a combined 2-4.

WKU lost to Ohio State 5-4 last season in the Keith LeClaire Classic in Greenville, N.C.

“It’s a big-name opponent coming into us,” WKU junior outfielder Anderson Miller said. “We take pride in protecting our home field. It’s kind of like Illinois coming in last year – similar team. We got the sweep (against the Illini) last year. We’ll be ready to go.”

Ohio State is batting .231 as a team, led by junior Craig Nennig’s .310 average. Junior Nick Sergakis has a team-high six RBIs.

Senior Ryan Riga (1-1, 1.96 ERA), sophomore Tanner Tully (1-0, 3.24) and sophomore Travis Lakins (0-2, 6.75) have each made three starts for OSU.

“They’re going to play hard,” Myers said. “They’ll have some big dudes come in. Their Saturday starter (Tully) is a prospect. He’ll be a mid-90s guy that’s pretty good. They’ll throw two lefties, like our rotation. … We were very even last year when we played. We were up 4-1 in the eighth and gave up five runs with two outs. They’re an older bunch.

“Their whole lineup is back, so very experienced there. It’s going to be a great series with a Big Ten team coming down here.”

WKU swept Southern Illinois last weekend and beat Belmont 5-2 on Tuesday at home in a game that featured a 35-minute rain delay.

During the four-game win streak, the Tops’ bullpen has allowed three total runs – one earned. In the four-game losing streak before that, the relievers allowed 18 runs –  all earned.

“They got beat up last week,” Myers said. “I jumped them pretty good at Vanderbilt and at Belmont – not from a results standpoint, but from a competitive standpoint. It’s tough to defend walks and wild pitches. I’m really proud of them to really respond. I do think that’s a good bunch.”

If WKU and Ohio State are able to play Friday, Myers said he’ll return to the starting rotation of junior left-hander John Harman, junior right-hander Josh Bartley and junior lefty Austin King.

That’s the order the Hilltoppers used on their first weekend, but on the two weekends when they’ve been forced to play a Saturday doubleheader, Bartley has started ahead of Harman.

After two rough starts, Harman dazzled Saturday against Southern Illinois, striking out eight batters over six innings with two hits allowed.

“He deserves to go out there,” Myers said. “The thing about Bartley and King is that you’re keeping them in their slots. They’ve yet to be moved off their routine. I don’t want to move everyone around and jumble.”

WKU will honor longtime coach Joel Murrie on Sunday by retiring his No. 36 jersey in a pregame presentation.

The Ohio State series caps an eight-game WKU homestand that followed seven straight contests on the road to start the year – the program’s longest road swing to a start a season since 1994.

“For us to get back here and get on a roll is huge for us,” Miller said.

— Follow Assistant Sports Editor Zach Greenwell on Twitter at twitter.com/zach_greenwell or visit bgdailynews.com.