Miniard throws no hitter, WKU sweeps UTA series

Austin Lanter

The WKU Lady Topper Softball team defeated Texas Arlington Sunday, 4-2 to sweep the weekend series and stay perfect in the Sun Belt Conference.

The team is now 23-10-1 overall this season and has won their last seven games.

In Sunday’s matchup, WKU wasted no time getting on the board scoring a run in the very first inning.

Two innings later in the third, junior outfielder Shawna Sadler singled to left center field to bring in two runs and increase the Lady Topper lead to 3-0.

However, Texas Arlington got those two runs back in the bottom half of that frame courtesy of a two-run homer by Nina Villanueva.

In the fifth inning, WKU was able to break through once again off the bat of senior infielder Olivia Watkins who recorded an RBI double to make it a 4-2 game, which would ultimately be the final.

Freshman pitcher Hannah Miniard went the distance in the game earning her 11th win of the season. Miniard also threw a no-hitter this weekend in game two of the series Saturday.

The no-hitter came only three games after senior Emily Rousseau threw one last Sunday against Troy. It is the first time in school history that the team has had two no-hitters in the same season.

Next up for WKU will be Middle Tennessee as the two square off for a midweek game Wednesday at the WKU Softball field starting at 5 p.m.