WKU Softball (9-1) opened the Hilltopper Spring Fling tournament Friday afternoon, shutting out the Dayton Flyers (1-5) 5-0 for its seventh-consecutive win. 

WKU fifth-year senior Shelby Nunn started the game for WKU, pitching a complete game while allowing four hits and no runs with seven strikeouts.

Junior Sarah Bailitz started for Dayton. She pitched 4.1 innings with four strikeouts, allowing five runs on five hits. Freshman Haven Dwyer relieved her in the bottom of fifth, pitching 1.2 innings to close out the game. 

Nunn gave up a single in her first at bat to freshman Emma Schutter. Schutter advanced to third on a steal and sacrifice bunt, but a Nunn strikeout and a ground out left her stranded. The Hilltoppers were unsuccessful and ended the first inning with zero hits.  

Nunn gave up a two-out walk to junior Grace Gressly, but delivered a strikeout to sophomore Taylor Erschen at the top of the second inning. Fifth-year senior Bailey Curry walked before advancing to second on a wild pitch. 

Junior Brylee Hage stepped up to the plate to hit an RBI single, allowing Curry to score and put WKU up 1-0. The inning ended with sophomore Kennedy Foote striking out. 

The Flyers loaded the bases quickly with a single, an error and a bunt. Nunn struck out two batters and forced a fly out, leaving the runners stranded. WKU was also unable to connect and left the bottom of the third, leaving runners stranded on first and second base.

The Flyers approached the plate looking for redemption after failing to put themselves on the board previously but once again fell short after going down in order. For the Hilltoppers’ turn, freshman Randi Drinnon and Foote walked. 

Freshman Amy Newman hit an RBI single, scoring Drinnon. Newman stole second base, allowing Foote to score from third. WKU closed out the fourth inning with a 3-0 lead. 

The Flyers again left one runner stranded on base in the top of the fifth, coming out with one hit, one error and one strikeout. In the bottom half of the fifth, the Hilltoppers brought in two more runs. Junior Taylor Sanders and senior Jordan Ridge hit back-to-back singles to runners on first and third base. 

Ridge stole second base, allowing Sanders to score. Hage hit a double RBI to left-center field, sending Ridge home and giving WKU a 5-0 lead. 

The sixth opened up slowly. All three batters for Dayton’s side grounded out in order before WKU ended the inning with one hit and left a runner stranded on first. 

At the top of the seventh inning the Hilltoppers looked towards the end of the game. Nunn delivered, closing out the game for her team. 

Up next in the Hilltopper Spring Fling, WKU will face the Ohio Bobcats Saturday at 12:30 p.m. and the Illinois State Redbirds at 3 p.m.

Softball Reporter Lynda Eernisse can be reached at [email protected].