WKU Softball swept Sam Houston in a three-game series at the WKU Softball Complex.

In the double-header Thursday, the Hilltoppers defeated the Bearkats 9-1 in five innings in game one. In game two, the Hilltoppers came out victorious 6-1.

In game three on Sunday, WKU finished off the sweep with a 7-4 win. 

WKU hitting continued to be a strength, totaling seven home runs in the series , led by junior infielder Maci Masters with two. Freshman infielder Lauren Satterly had her first collegiate home run in game three. 

“It felt good to finally get a piece of that ball,” Satterly said. “I couldnt have done it without the team having my back and cheering for me. It felt pretty good.”

The Hilltoppers have been unstoppable at home with a 19-1 record and undefeated in conference play at home.

“Our team’s expectation is to win at home. Playing for the fans gives us a lot of encouragement, it is a higher expectation,” Masters said. 

Game 1

WKU took game one of the doubleheader 9-1 in five innings. The Hilltoppers rode a four-run second and fifth inning to victory.

The bats were on fire for the Hilltoppers, hitting .500 behind three home runs. Junior Annie White and sophomore outfielder Kennedy Stinson took the traditional route, with a home run to left-center field and center field, respectively. Senior Jenna Blanton earned her first home run of the season, with an inside-the-park home run.

Blanton led the way, hitting 3-4 with three RBIs. Three other Hilltoppers had multiple-hit days, with Annie White, Masters, and Stinson finishing the day with two hits.

“Hitting is hard. You have to just move on to the next pitch if you don’t do good. We had different players step up in different spots,” Head Coach Amy Tudor said. “We focus a lot on hitting, they really put in the work.”

Blanton got the scoring going in the first inning for the Hilltoppers with an inside-the-park home run. Blanton continued to power the offense with an RBI bunt in the second inning. Annie White got in on the action with a three-run home run to left-center field as the Hilltoppers took a 5-0 lead in the second inning. 

The offense stalled for the Hilltoppers until the fifth inning. Stinson sparked the offense back to life with a two-run home run in the fifth inning to take a 7-1 lead. The runs continued to pour in during the fifth with an RBI single from Blanton. Annie White ended the game with an RBI single to center field.

Sophomore right-hander Erica Houge got the start in the circle, throwing the entire game, improving her record to 14-3 on the season.

Houge threw one strikeout while allowing one run that came in the form of an RBI double in the third inning from junior Bella Perez. The defense stayed strong behind Houge, with no errors.

Game 2

WKU took game two of the doubleheader 6-1 to secure the series win. 

The bats never cooled off for the Hilltoppers, hitting .367 in game two, behind two home runs from Masters. 

Masters and sophomore infielder Anna Mauck led game two, both finishing 2-3 at the plate.

“It means a lot. I have been struggling a little bit, but I think being down takes a little bit more pressure off and allows me to settle in,” Masters said.

Junior right-hander Rylan Smith got the start in the circle for the Hilltoppers and threw a complete game. Smith allowed just four hits while allowing one run.

Smith struck out five, improving her season record to 7-3.

The Bearkats struck first in game two off a fielder’s choice from the Hilltoppers in the first inning.  

The Hilltoppers could not put runs on the board through four innings despite four hits.

Master’s two-run home run in the fourth inning opened the scoring for WKU. The Hilltoppers’ offense continued to roll in the fifth inning behind a two-run RBI single from sophomore infielder Katie Murphy.

Masters found her sweet spot once again with another two-run home run to center field in the fifth inning, cementing a 6-1 final. 

Game 3

A four-run sixth inning by the Hilltoppers powered the Hilltoppers to a 7-4 win in game three. 

“It was a great weekend for us,” Tudor said. “I’m really proud of our team, I thought a lot of players stepped up, day three is always difficult.” 

Junior infielder Morgan Sharpe doubled to left center to tie the game at 4-4. Stinson continued an impressive series with a double to score Sharpe and Satterly. Kendle White singled, scoring Stinson to cap off a dominant sixth inning.

Hilltopper batters continued to be a strong force, with two more home runs, one from Kendle White and another from Satterly. The Hilltoppers totaled 10 hits on the evening, with Kendle White, Satterly and Sharpe totaling two apiece. 

Houge started in the circle for the Hilltoppers for the second time in the series, throwing for 5.1 innings, totaling three strikeouts, giving up two runs and a home run. 

Smith took over for Houge in the sixth inning, totaling four strikeouts, while allowing two run and two hits, including a home run. 

Houge reentered the game to close in the seventh to finish off the sweep. 

Kendle White started the scoring with a home run in the first inning, and Masters hit a single to score junior infielder Morgan Sharpe to extend the lead to 2-0 in the second inning. Satterly added a home run in the fourth, moving the lead to 3-1. 

The Bearkats fought back off a solo home run by graduate infielder Tricia Yarotsky, sparking a dominant middle-inning stretch, before the Hilltoppers’ four-run sixth inning put them over the top. 

The Hilltoppers will stay at the WKU Softball Complex for a midweek game against Lipscomb on Tuesday, April 7. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.