WKU Softball met New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico in a three game series March 8-10, walking away from the weekend with a 2-1 record in the series and a 15-7-1 record on the season.
Game 1
WKU defeated NMSU 2-1 in nine innings.
NMSU put up the first run in the third inning. WKU didn’t respond until the sixth when fifth year infielder Sophie Weber flew out to right field to drive freshman infielder Morgan Sharpe home.
With a tie game, the teams were pushed to an extra inning, but both failed to score in the eighth. WKU’s victory came in the ninth when fifth year outfielder Brylee Hage singled through the left side to drive senior utility Kelsey Schmidt in for a run.
Fifth year pitcher Katie Gardner threw eight innings for the Hilltoppers. She allowed seven hits, one run and threw six strikeouts.
Game 2
WKU’s only loss of the weekend came in their second contest against NMSU. The Hilloppers fell 9-0 after five innings.
NMSU posted all of their runs in the second and third inning. WKU was unable to answer.
Freshman pitcher Rylan Smith pitched 2.2 innings with only two hits.
Game 3
The Hilltoppers bounced back from their heavy loss with a 11-0 win over NMSU to end the weekend.
WKU posted four runs in the top of the first inning. Fifth year infielder Taylor Centers kicked off scoring with a homer that also drove Sharpe and Hage in for a total of three runs.
Later in the inning, Schmidt homered to left field to put WKU up 4-0.
In the third, redshirt junior catcher and utility Cheyanne Sales hit a grounder to drive fifth year infielder TJ Webster home. Afterwards, fifth year infielder Sanders homered to left center.
In the fourth inning, freshman infielder Morgan Sharpe doubled to left field which drove freshman infielder Becca Campbell and fifth year infielder Sophie Weber home, respectively.
To close play in the fifth, freshman utility and pitcher Annie White flied to left field, driving in freshman outfielder Kendle White in for a run.
On a different play, Sharpe singled up the middle which sent Hage and Weber home to leave the score at 11-0.
WKU will face Eastern Kentucky University on March at 6p.m. CST.
Sports reporter Molly St. Clair can be reached at [email protected].
