WKU Softball secured two wins over New Mexico State March 27-29 to take their third Conference USA series win of the season.
The wins improve the Hilltoppers to 24-8 overall and 8-4 in CUSA. They rank fourth among the conference standings.
An evenly-matched series saw the Aggies outscoring the Hilltoppers 17-16 over the weekend. WKU finished the series hitting .276. Junior infielder Morgan Sharpe led WKU’s offense, going 3-9 with three RBI.
Game 1
The Hilltoppers never found their rhythm during the series opener, falling 8-0 in run-rule fashion. As a team, WKU went 1-16 at the plate and made four fielding errors while striking out eight times.
WKU used its three main pitchers to get through game one. New Mexico State was not fazed, as the Hilltopper pitching staff combined for a .520 opposing batting average.
Junior Rylan Smith earned the start for the Hilltoppers, but she quickly returned to the dugout after just 0.1 inning. Sophomore Erica Houge came in as relief and threw the next 2.2 innings. The duo gave up six runs, all of which were in the first inning, on eight hits.
Senior Maddy Wood threw the final 1.1 inning and allowed two earned runs on five hits.
Junior infielder Annie White secured the lone Hilltopper hit in the fourth inning. She finished going 1-2 at the plate.
Game 2
WKU bounced back on Saturday to take down NMSU 7-5, sending the fate of the series to Sunday.
An even game-two matchup saw two ties prior to the fifth inning. An RBI double from Annie White gave the Hilltoppers the lead, which was extended by a sacrifice bunt from infielder Katie Murphy. Sophomore outfielder Kennedy Stinson capped off the inning with a two-RBI homer to give WKU a 7-3 lead.
The Aggies hit a solo home run in each of the sixth and seventh innings, but the late rally was too little and too late to overcome the Hilltoppers’ advantage.
Lauren Satterly earned her first start in the catcher position in game two. The freshman went 2-4 at the plate, including an RBI double in the top of the first to score WKU’s first run.
Houge threw a complete game Saturday. She held the Aggies to a .276 batting average, significantly less than NMSU’s .520 average in game one. The sophomore allowed five runs, four of which were earned, on eight hits while striking out two.
Game 3
The Hilltoppers took the series over the Aggies with a 9-4 series-closing win Sunday.
Close competition meant the game was tied 3-3 after four innings. WKU took a two-run lead in the top of the fifth after a fielder’s choice and an RBI single from redshirt senior outfielder Jenna Blanton. Leading 5-3 with bases loaded, the Hilltoppers had the chance to put the nail in the coffin, but a strikeout from Murphy stranded three.
The Aggies cut the deficit to one in the bottom of the sixth with a leadoff home run.
Up 5-4 in the final frame, WKU looked to add some insurance runs and succeeded. With bases loaded, Sharpe doubled down the right field line to score two. Murphy continued the momentum with an RBI single. She was then caught stealing second, but not before Sharpe was able to score from third. The explosive four-run top of the seventh put WKU up 9-4.
The Aggies went down in order in the bottom of the seventh, handing the Hilltoppers the game and series win.
Blanton led WKU’s offense during the series-closer, going 3-4 at the plate with two RBI. She was a home run away from hitting for the cycle.
Smith and Houge split the day in the circle. Smith earned the start, allowing three earned runs on three hits and striking out five in four innings. Houge replaced Smith for the final three innings, giving up an earned run on two hits.
The Hilltoppers host Sam Houston this weekend for a CUSA series April 2-4. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
