WKU (41-15) recorded seven hits but was unable to plate a run in a loss to No. 15 South Alabama in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament championship game on Saturday.

The Lady Toppers beat No. 21 Louisiana-Lafayette 7-4 in 10 innings Saturday morning to seal a spot in the championship game for the third time in school history but could not win their second game of the day.

WKU beat the defending conference tournament champion South Alabama two out of three times in the regular season.

Senior pitcher Mallorie Sulaski started in the circle for the top-seeded Lady Toppers and allowed seven hits and two runs.

South Alabama pitcher Hannah Campbell allowed seven hits and no runs. Campbell leads the nation with a .90 ERA.

The Lady Toppers were aggressive early as senior infielder Ciara Garcia records a hit before advancing to third off a hit from junior infielder Amanda Thomas.

The Lady Toppers were in need of a timely hit again in the bottom of the third inning with Watkins and Garcia in scoring position but were unable to crack South Alabama’s pitching.

South Alabama went on to record the first run of the outing in the top of the fifth off a RBI double.

Another RBI in the following inning extended the South Alabama lead to 2-0.

The Lady Toppers were retired in order to end the game in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Despite the second place tournament finish, WKU still hopes to earn its first-ever bid to an NCAA Regional. The Division I Softball Selection Show airs Sunday night at 9 p.m. on ESPNU.