Western Kentucky freshman Kennedy Sullivan tossed a five-inning no-hitter in the Hilltoppers' 8-0 win over Evansville on Friday during the Samford Invitational in Birmingham, Ala. (WKU Athletics)

Behind the 13th no-hitter in program history off the arm of freshman Kennedy Sullivan, Western Kentucky garnered an 8-0 five-inning softball victory over Evansville to open the Samford Invitational on Friday in Birmingham, Ala.

Sullivan became the fourth rookie to register a no-hitter in program history.

“I felt like in inning one, we got three runs on the board and she obviously in her groove, striking out eight people and we played great defense behind her,” WKU coach Amy Tudor said in a news release. “This is a pretty special moment for her. I’m proud of her and proud of the team. Overall, this was a great team effort.”

With her defense making plays behind her, Sullivan allowed just two Evansville base runners all game, both via walks. In between the walks, Sullivan retired 13 straight batters. She finished with eight strikeouts, including three in the bottom of the fifth.

The Hilltoppers took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Rebekah Engelhardt got things started with a one-out single before stealing second and scoring on a fielder’s choice that saw Shannon Plese reach base safely. Kendall Smith followed with a single, scoring Plese to make the score 2-0 before Tommi Stowers made it 3-0 with an RBI hit.

Two innings later, Stowers connected for a single back up the middle to extend her hit streak to seven straight at bats before coming around to score the first of three Hilltopper runs in the frame on an RBI hit by pitch from Jordan Vorbrink. Jordan Thomas drew a bases-loaded walk for her eighth RBI of the season.

Plese led off the top of the fourth with her first of two walks on the day before coming around to score on a double by Smith to the right-center field gap. Stowers’ streak came to an end in the next at bat. Sullivan then singled to center field before Paige Carter beat out a bunt single and scored Smith from third for the 8-0 WKU lead.

Smith, Stowers and Carter each had two hits. Five different Hilltoppers accounted for WKU’s five RBIs. WKU finished with nine hits in the game, marking the fourth straight outing with nine or more.

Sullivan improved to 8-0 on the season with the victory and now owns three complete-game shutouts during her debut campaign.

WKU (11-2) is off to the program’s best start. The Hilltoppers have won six straight dating back to the second weekend of the season.

WKU will return to the Samford Softball Field on Saturday for a 2 p.m. game against Jackson State in the Samford Invitational.