After losing the first two games of the Holiday Inn Hilltopper Spring Classic Friday, the WKU Lady Topper softball team responded with a pair of wins Saturday.

“I think it starts in the circle,” coach Amy Tudor said. “I felt like we pitched way better today than we did yesterday. I thought we hit well both days.”

In both games the team trailed in the bottom of the fourth inning or later. Using big innings in both instances, the team was able to overcome the deficit and come away with wins against Indiana State (7-5) and Wright State (1-8).

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In the first game of the day, WKU (11-6-1) was down 2-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning. In that inning, the Lady Toppers recorded six runs to take a lead. The team tallied another run in the sixth to take the game 7-2.

In the second game, after jumping out to a 1-0 lead early, Wright State tied the game in the third. The next inning the Raiders brought four runs across the plate to take a 5-1 lead.

However, in the bottom half of that same frame the Lady Toppers had a bigger inning. The team ripped off seven hits and scored seven runs to go back on top 8-5, which was ultimately the final for the game.

“(Tudor) really didn’t say much, but just staying positive,” senior infielder Olivia Watkins said. “We got a little rowdy in the dugout and that helps a lot, so a lot of positive energy involved.”

Senior pitcher Emily Rousseau saw action in both games during the day. Overall she pitched 10.1 innings Saturday, allowed nine hits and seven runs while striking out six.

In the game against Indiana State she received the win but the second game she was given a no decision. Rousseau is now 6-5 on the season.

Over the course of the two games, senior infielder Amanda Thomas five RBI’s including a two run homer in the fourth inning of the Wright State game.

She contributed the turnaround from Friday to the energy level and everything coming together.

“I feel like we had a lot more energy warming up,” Thomas said. “That’s a small part but it’s just pretty much how our team is. It transferred to the field. We just all played together. Every aspect of the game was there, pitching, hitting, and fielding.”

WKU was scheduled to play IUPUI Sunday in the last game of the Hilltopper Spring Classic but the game has been cancelled to due inclement weather threats. The Lady Toppers will be back in action March 7 as they head to Knoxville, Tenn., for the Tennessee Tournament.