Western Kentucky dropped a 4-1 softball decision to host Louisville on Tuesday.

Western Kentucky’s softball team fell to in-state rival Louisville, 4-1, in the Tops’ first midweek contest of the season on Tuesday.

WKU’s TJ Webster had a perfect night at the plate, going 3-for-3 in the loss.

Freshman Morgan Sharpe extended a 15-game hitting streak, bringing her season total to 28, as Brylee Hage and Randi Drinnon also picked up a hit on the night for WKU (10-5-1).

The Cardinals got ahead on one run with an RBI double near the right-field line in the first inning.

Louisville (13-2) a 3-0 lead from a two-run home run by Katie Thatcher in the bottom of the second, just before a Hilltopper fielding error would score another and finalize four runs for Louisville.

The Tops’ lone run was a Randi Drinnon RBI single up the middle, scoring pinch runner Becca Campbell in from second base.

Rylan Smith started in the circle for the Tops, but gave up an early three runs off three hits and a walk before Katie Gardner came in for relief in the second. Gardner worked through the rest of the ballgame, producing two strikeouts.

WKU is back in action Friday with two home games on the first day of the Hilltopper Spring Fling. The Tops will face Dayton at 3 p.m. and Northern Illinois at 5:30 p.m. at the WKU Softball Complex.