WKU Softball hosted the North Texas Mean Green in a three-game series March 25-26. The Hilltoppers dominated the Mean Green en route to a series-sweep. 

Senior Taylor Sanders put together another huge performance for WKU’s offense over the weekend, tallying two home runs and eight RBI’s over three games.

Senior Katie Gardner carried the Hilltoppers pitching staff over the weekend, pitching two complete games and allowing only three runs over 14 innings. 

Game 1

The Hilltoppers began the weekend Saturday with a 7-1 win over the Mean Green in the first game of a doubleheader. 

Game one of the series got off to a slow start as neither team scored through the first three innings. 

WKU kicked off the scoring in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI fielder’s choice, giving the Hilltoppers a 1-0 lead.

The Hilltoppers proceeded to blow the game open in the sixth inning with six runs. WKU scored on three RBI singles, a two-RBI double and a throwing error in the inning, to take a 7-0 lead.

North Texas managed to push one run across in the seventh, but failed to mount a rally as WKU claimed a 7-1 victory.

WKU tallied 12 hits in the contest, including two from senior Brylee Hage. Hage also knocked in a run and scored a run in the contest. 

Gardner got the start for WKU on the mound and pitched a complete game, allowing only one run on five hits.

Game 2

WKU ended Saturday with a second victory in a 6-3 contest against North Texas.

North Texas got out to a strong start with a solo homer in the second inning, followed by two more solo homers in the third inning, to take a 3-0 lead.

Junior Jessica Bush responded with a two-RBI double in the fourth for WKU, cutting the deficit to 3-2.

WKU took a 4-3 lead in the sixth on a two-RBI double by Sanders. Bush followed with a two-RBI single to make it 6-3 WKU. 

The Mean Green failed to respond in the seventh, handing WKU a 6-3 victory.

Bush carried the offense to victory with two hits and four RBIs in the evening. 

Freshman pitcher Maddy Wood recorded the win for WKU in relief of redshirt sophomore Kelsie Houchens. Wood pitched five scoreless innings to close out the game. 

Game 3

WKU claimed a series sweep over North Texas Sunday with a 9-2 victory over the Mean Green.

The Hilltoppers offense exploded out of the gates in the first inning with four runs. Sanders began the scoring with a three-run homerun, followed by an RBI double by junior Kennedy Foote, giving WKU a 4-0 lead.

WKU then added to its lead in the third with a run on a throwing error, making the game 5-0. 

The Mean Green responded with two runs of their own in the top of the fourth to make it 5-2. North Texas scored on an RBI single and a sac fly.

The Hilltoppers proceeded to deepen the lead with an RBI single by Hage and a three-run homer by Sanders in the fourth, making the score 9-2. 

Both teams did not score the rest of the game as WKU claimed the win.

Sanders carried WKU to victory behind two three-run homers on the day. Gardner pitched another complete game on Sunday, allowing only two runs on four hits. 

Up next, WKU will host Belmont University Wednesday, March 29 at 6 p.m. CST. 

Sports reporter Camden Bush can be reached at [email protected].