The Hilltoppers lost a pitcher’s duel 1-0 to the Florida Atlantic Owls Friday night to start off its weekend series. This is the second consecutive loss for the Hilltoppers. 

Only scoring one run the entire game, the Owls defeated WKU in seven innings. The loss comes just one week after the Hilltoppers conquered No. 24 Charlotte on their own field in a three-game series. 

The Hilltoppers (21-6, 5-2 C-USA) came away with only two hits and one error on the night with senior Jordan Ridge coming away with both hits. FAU (17-16, 5-2 C-USA) successfully grabbed one run on three hits. Their run came off an RBI triple from junior Sara Berthiaume. Both sides left a total of six players on base throughout the game. 

WKU fifth-year senior Shelby Nunn and FAU senior Lynn Gardner dominated the game. Both allowed five hits total on the day and just two hits through the first three innings, forcing ground balls and pop ups. 

The run came early in the game in the bottom of the first frame, which gave the Owls the first and only lead of the night. Berthiaume took advantage of an error made earlier in the inning with her RBI triple. Ridge picked up a single in the top of the second but to no avail.

The bottom of the fourth inning saw the next hit of the game from Berthiaume, but the Owls didn’t do anything with it. The Hilltoppers’ final hit of the day came in the top of the fifth. The Hilltopper runner was thrown out on a fielder’s choice, keeping WKU from putting its first runner in scoring position.

The Hilltoppers’ last-ditch effort came in the top of the seventh with a two-out walk, but Gardner’s incredible performance continued. She forced a pop up to end the game and put the Owls over .500 on the season.     

Saturday, the three-game series will continue with an afternoon game at 3 p.m. in Boca Raton, Fla. 

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