Junior outfielder Chad Cregar does one thing better than any other current Topper.

Cregar hits home runs. A lot.

So far this season, he has hit 15.

Cregar doesn’t really pay much attention to the fact that many people would consider him to be one of the “power hitters” on the team.

“After everything with my knee going on, my job is to hit,” Cregar said. “So (coach Chris Finwood) sticks me in the lineup, knowing I can’t run real well. So hopefully, I’m just stepping up and doing what’s best for the team.”

The record for the most home runs in a single season at Western was set by Rob Tomberlin in 1985 with 27.

With 15 games left in the regular season, Cregar would almost need one home run for every game.

With 15 home runs, Cregar sits at 10th place on the all-time single-season home run list.

Cregar also leads the team in batting average (.360) and is second on the team with 58, behind fellow big bat in sophomore third baseman Wade Gaynor who has 59 hits and 10 home runs of his own.

Cregar is not looking for a home run every time he steps into the batter’s.

Instead, the junior-college transfer from Northwest Mississippi Community College is just looking for a good approach on the ball and to make contact, he said.

Cregar’s excitement for cranking one over the wall hasn’t diminished.

“It’s surprising every time,” he said. “The next one is always the best feeling in the world. Each one’s better.”

Cregar has not made any adjustments to his approach on the ball or to his swing.

“It’s just happening,” he said. “I can’t explain it.”

“It” did not happen this weekend in the Toppers’ (23-16, 10-8 Sun Belt Conference) three-game conference series finale against Arkansas State (16-24, 5-13 Sun Belt Conference).

But Western did not need Cregar to hit a home run to complete the sweep in Sunday’s 13-5 victory.

The Toppers had 21 hits to the Indians’ nine.

With Sunday’s win the Toppers found themselves in a tie for fourth place in the Sun Belt standings with Florida Atlantic.

“Today was a huge win,” junior shortstop Terrance Dayleg said. “There’s a huge difference between being 10-8 (in the conference) and being 9-9. At 10-8 we’re up there with the top teams.”

Western’s bats had no problem making contact with the ball Sunday afternoon, with six Toppers having two or more hits on the day.

The Toppers used back-to-back five run innings in the sixth and seventh to complete the victory.

Senior pitcher Colby Beach got the start on Sunday and allowed three runs on five hits through his six innings.

“I thought overall as a team it may have been our best performance of the year,” coach Chris Finwood said. “Our guys really came out and played with a lot of energy and enthusiasm.”

The Toppers won the Saturday match up 7-6 and collected an 8-1 win last Friday.

Western now moves ahead to host Kentucky at 6 p.m. tomorrow at Nick Denes Field.

Reach Ryan Carey at sports@chherald.com.