Owls take pair for Lady Tops in softball doubleheader
Published 9:51 pm Saturday, April 30, 2016
Western Kentucky’s softball team dropped the first two games of their Conference USA weekend series Saturday at No. 23/24 Florida Atlantic in Boca Raton, Fla.
The Lady Toppers lost 16-1 in five innings in the opener, then dropped an 8-3 decision in the nightcap.
In Game 1, Hannah Parker’s RBI single gave WKU (16-27 overall, 7-10 C-USA) the early lead.
No. 23/24 Florida Atlantic (43-7, 18-2) responded in the home half of the first with a six-run rally. FAU plated another 10 runs over their next three innings in order to take a 16-1 run-rule victory in five innings.
The Owls outhit WKU 12-2 on the contest as starting FAU pitcher Kylee Hanson (23-3) picked up the victory after notching six strikeouts in four innings in the circle.
The Owls kept hitting in the second game, scoring at least one run over the first four innings as the Owls jumped out to a 5-0 advantage in the nightcap.
WKU responded with three runs on two hits in the top of the fifth. Back-to-back RBI doubles from Brooke Holloway and Carleigh Chaumont helped plate all three Lady Topper runs.
Florida Atlantic posted three runs in the sixth inning and held the Lady Toppers hitless over the final two innings as the Owls notched the 8-3 victory and clinched the C-USA regular-season title.
Hannah Parker (10-16) took the loss for WKU.
WKU will conclude the series with the Owls on Sunday as the finale is set for 12:30 p.m. CT at the FAU Softball Stadium.