WKU Softball secured its first Conference USA series win against Louisiana Tech March 28-29 in front of its home crowd.
The series win was a full-team effort by the Hilltoppers. Across the two-day series, WKU hit a total of five home runs, and WKU’s four pitchers combined for 13 strikeouts.
The Hilltoppers are now 17-15 on the season and 4-7 in CUSA.
Game 1
WKU dominated LA Tech in a run-rule shutout on Friday. The Hilltoppers’ efficient defense and aggressive offense made way for an 8-0 win.
Sophomore Rylan Smith pitched a full game and struck out five LA Tech batters. The Hilltoppers also retired the first three LA Tech batters in the top of the first, fourth and sixth innings.
“Today’s game was a really big team win,” Smith said. “I pitched better for my team, (and) my team hit better as a whole.”
Sophomore Maci Masters put the first run on the board in the bottom of the first with a home run.
A scoring drought plagued the second through fifth innings.
The Hilltoppers came alive in the bottom of the sixth. Two bases-loaded walks and a two-RBI single from freshman right fielder Kennedy Stinson put WKU up 5-0. Sophomore center fielder Kendle White’s three-RBI double extended the Hilltoppers’ lead to 8-0.
“We played a complete ball game,” Head Coach Amy Tudor said. “I was proud of the way we came out.”
Game 2
WKU fell 8-4 to LA Tech in a home-run palooza in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader.
Masters got the ball rolling in the bottom of the first with a two-RBI homer.
LA Tech’s home run in the top of the second put the Bulldogs on the board, but White’s sacrifice fly extended the Hilltoppers’ lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the second.
LA Tech’s two-RBI homer in the top of the fourth tied the game at 3-3. White’s homer in the bottom of the fourth put WKU ahead 4-3.
The rest of the game saw no more Hilltoppers runs.
A grand slam from LA Tech in the sixth put WKU in a 7-4 deficit. The Bulldogs closed out the game with an RBI single in the seventh handing the Hilltoppers their lone loss of the weekend.
Game 3
With the series on the line, WKU defeated LA Tech 5-2, closing Saturday’s doubleheader.
LA Tech secured its only lead of the game with a bases-loaded walk in the top of the first.
The Hilltoppers connected in the bottom of the second with a two-RBI homer from Stinson. Another WKU two-RBI homer – this time from Masters – in the bottom of the third put the Hilltoppers up 4-1.
LA Tech put its second and final run on the board with a home run in the top of the fourth. Junior outfielder Kaytlan Kemp’s groundout RBI in the bottom of the fourth regained the Hilltoppers’ three-run lead.
The rest of the game remained scoreless, securing WKU’s first CUSA series win.
The Hilltoppers will travel to Nashville on Tuesday for a midweek game against Lipscomb University.
Sports Reporter Adrianna Lein can be reached at adrianna.lein265@topper.wku.edu.
