WKU Softball (16-9), (1-3, C-USA) lost the final game in its series with Middle Tennessee State University (21-18), (7-5, C-USA) on Sunday by dropping game four by a score of 3-2. WKU leaves Murfreesboro, Tennessee two games below .500 in Conference USA play after the series with the Blue Raiders.

Redshirt senior Kelsey Aikey made her 13th start of the season, hurling six and two-thirds innings in the circle and collecting eight strikeouts to push her career total to 540. The right-hander allowed three runs on five hits and threw four scoreless innings.

The Hilltoppers took an immediate 1-0 lead thanks to a leadoff home run from redshirt senior Paige Carter, her fourth leadoff home run of the season and eighth home run in total. MTSU would knot the score at 1-1 in the bottom of the first after a sacrifice fly.

MTSU would take back the lead in the bottom of the second with a solo home run and the score would remain 2-1 until Paige Carter hit her second solo home run of the day in the top of the sixth to tie the game once more at 2-2. Carter’s home runs would be the sole source of scoring for the Hilltoppers.

The Blue Raiders would get a runner on with a walk to start the bottom of the seventh inning, and an error on a bunt would place runners at first and third with no outs. A sacrifice fly from Blue Raider junior Lani Rodriguez would walk off the game for MTSU.

The Hilltoppers will travel to Nashville for a midweek away matchup against Belmont on Wednesday, April 21 at 6 p.m. The Hilltoppers look to escape their current slump as WKU has gone 1-4 in the month of April. The team has batted .200 in that span. 

Softball beat reporter Jake Moore can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @Charles_JMoore.