Western Kentucky’s softball team opened conference play in dramatic fashion on Friday with a 9-5, 12-inning win over Sam Houston in Huntsville, Texas.

The Hilltoppers improved to 14-6 overall and 1-0 in Conference USA play. Their CUSA opening game record improves to 10-3, dating back to 2014 when WKU first joined the conference.

The game opened in seemingly normal fashion, but 12 innings later and the Hilltoppers came out on top for their first CUSA win of the season.

WKU started on top offensively after putting two runs on the scoreboard in the top of the second inning, with the Bearkats (9-13 overall, 0-1 CUSA) answering with two of their own in the bottom of the third.

With the score tied 2-all, the Bearkats added another two runs in the bottom of the fifth to bring the score to 4-2 in their favor.

In the top of the sixth, sophomore infielder Annie White swung on the first pitch of her at-bat and lifted the ball over the left-center field wall for a solo home run as WKU cut into the deficit, 4-3.

White once again scored for the Hilltoppers in the top of the seventh thanks to a fielding error by first base, allowing sophomore infielder Morgan Sharpe to tie the game at four.

Sam Houston failed to score in the home-half of the seventh to trigger the first extra-innings game for the Hilltoppers this season.

Both squads scored in the eighth and were locked in a three-inning stalemate to set up the drama in the 12th inning.

Freshman infielder Charlotte Herron opened things up for WKU in the top of the 12th with a double to center field that was followed up by a sacrifice bunt from junior outfielder Kaytlan Kemp.

Senior catcher Randi Drinnon took advantage of having a Hilltopper on third with her team-high sixth sacrifice bunt to score the go-ahead run and put WKU up, 6-5.

Drinnon later advanced on a wild pitch, and a walk from sophomore outfielder Kendle White put two Hilltoppers on the base paths.

Sharpe bunted for a single to load the bases for WKU and freshman outfielder Kennedy Stinson followed with a bases-clearing double to right center.

In the circle, freshman right-hander Erica Houge earned her fourth win of the season after coming in in the bottom of the eighth and blanking Sam Houston for the remaining 4 1/3 innings.

Sharpe led WKU in hits with three. Stinson tallied three RBIs in the win.

Hilltopper pitchers Rylan Smith and Maddy Wood both posted five strikeouts each, with Houge adding two to bring the bullpen’s total to 12 on the night.

WKU continues its series against Sam Houston on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. CT.