Western Kentucky’s softball team took a seven-run lead in its first trip to the plate Sunday and claimed a 7-3 victory over South Alabama in Gulf Shores, Ala.

The Hilltoppers finished 4-1 on the weekend to match the program’s best start since the 2015 campaign.

WKU sent 11 batters to the plate in the first inning. Jordan Thomas roped a double to the fence in the right-center gap. In her second at-bat of the inning, Thomas had a single to score a pair of Hilltopper runs. Shannon Plese, Jordan Ridge, Morgan McElroy and Taylor Davis all registered RBIs in the inning. Thomas (2), Jordan Vorbrink, Plese and McElroy accounted for the Hilltoppers’ five hits in the frame.

From there, Kennedy Sullivan pitched six innings for her third win of the weekend while finishing with nine strikeouts to bring her tournament total to 29. She allowed four hits.

Kelsey Aikey closed out the game with her second relief appearance of the weekend and had two strikeouts. With the appearance, Aikey took over as the owner of WKU’s career relief appearances record with 40. The junior closed the weekend with 10 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings.

WKU’s victory snapped a five-game losing streak to South Alabama. The Hilltoppers are 12-15 all-time against the Jaguars.

Next weekend, the Hilltoppers will welcome Western Illinois to the WKU Softball Complex for a three-game series beginning Saturday.{&end}