After a picture-perfect home-opening tournament, WKU Softball will look to carry its momentum into the Hilltopper Spring Fling Feb. 28 – March 2.
The Hilltoppers action-packed series Feb. 23 – 24 included four wins over Gardner-Webb and Bradley. The Hilltoppers have accumulated a nine-game win streak and a 10-4 overall record.
Multiple Hilltoppers had exemplary performances during last weekend’s series. Sophomore right-handed pitcher Rylan Smith set a season record for number of strikeouts in a game with 11. Sophomore left fielder Kendle White’s multiple RBIs and fly-outs led to WKU’s comeback win against Bradley in game two of the tournament. Sophomore first baseman Annie White and freshman third baseman Katie Murphy both hit their first home run of the season, and Murphy’s was her first home run in collegiate play.
WKU will face Kentucky, Tennessee Tech and Evansville over the three-day Hilltopper Spring Fling.
WKU will play Kentucky in its first game of the weekend on Friday and its second game on Saturday.
The Hilltoppers fell to the Wildcats in the teams’ last matchup in April 2024. Kentucky holds an overall season record of 10-5. Some notable UK players include freshman infielder Allie Blum and sophomore outfielder Peyton Plotts.
Blum leads her team in runs with 16 and holds a perfect fielding percentage. In 2024, Plotts hit .512, scored 38 runs and earned 41 RBIs. This season, she leads UK in doubles (seven), home runs (three), RBIs (20) and total bases (36).
WKU will play Tennessee Tech in its second game on Friday and its final game on Sunday.
WKU defeated TTU 11-3 in the team’s last game in April 2021. TTU holds a 6-6 overall record in 2025. Some distinctive TTU players are freshman pitcher Lainey Fitzgerald and senior utility player Abby Shoulders.
Fitzgerald holds the lowest ERA of her team’s pitchers with 2.10 and leads the team in strikeouts with 23.
Last season, Shoulders was 23/26 on stolen bases and maintained a perfect fielding percentage. In 2025, she has started in all 12 games and leads the Golden Eagles in runs (seven) and hits (13).
The Hilltoppers’ third and final competition of the weekend is Evansville.
In the team’s last faceoff in March 2023, WKU secured a 9-0 win. Evansville has a 7-6 overall record. Some players to look out for are junior utility player Taylor Howe and junior infielder Morgan Adams.
Howe was named the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week during last week’s play. She leads the Purple Aces in at-bats (39), hits (15), doubles (five) and RBIs (16). Adams leads the team in home runs (seven) with four of them from their last tournament.
WKU will face Evansville just once this weekend in game one on Saturday.
WKU will compete against Kentucky at 3 p.m. Friday to begin its second home tournament of the 2025 season.
Sports Reporter Adrianna Lein can be reached at adrianna.lein265@topper.wku.edu.
