Racing to beat the rain on Sunday, Western Kentucky finished its regular season with a 4-3 win over Jacksonville State at the WKU Softball Complex.

The Hilltoppers (29-19-1 overall, 14-10-1 Conference USA) were down as many as two runs going into the third inning, but were able to turn things around and collect a total of four runs in the third and fifth innings.

The Gamecocks (34-20 overall, 15-11 CUSA) got off to a fast start on Sunday with Emma Elrod hitting a leadoff home run for her 13th of the season. Ashley Phillips also took a round trip around the bases with a shot to left center in the second frame to put Jacksonville State up 2-0 going into the third.

In the home half of the third inning, Kendle White logged her 24th walk of the season to put a Hilltopper on the base paths, quickly followed up by Morgan Sharpe’s first triple of the season for an RBI to cut the Gamecocks’ lead in half.

With a runner on third, Annie White notched her third hit of the series with a single to center field to score Sharpe and tie the game at two.

Knotted up through four-and-a-half innings, the Hilltoppers got two aboard with walks as Kennedy Stinson singled up the middle to score one. Soon after, Maci Masters hit a deep fly ball to left field for another run and a sacrifice fly.

Down 4-2 in the sixth, Jax State hit its third home run of the game to cut their deficit to one.

Having taken over from Rylan Smith in the second, pitcher Erica Houge retired the side the top of the seventh to secure the final-regular season win for WKU.

With the win, WKU secured the Nol 2 seed in the Conference USA tournament, guaranteeing them a first-round bye. The Hilltoppers will host the CUSA Tournament starting Wednesday at the WKU Softball Complex.

Continuing her hitting streak, Sharpe logged her ninth game in a row with at least one hit.

Houge earned her 10th win of the season. Houge has now won seven of her last eight appearances (the eighth was a tie against FIU).

Smith and Houge kept the Gamecocks to a .166 batting average over the two games.

Prior to the game, WKU honored senior Randi Drinnon.

Just over a month ago, WKU finished the month of March with a 4-7 record in Conference USA and was ranked eighth. Since their series against LA Tech, the Hilltoppers have since won 11 conference games and locked up the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament with Sunday’s win.

WKU earned themselves a first-round bye along with No. 1 seed Liberty.

The conference tournament officially begins Wednesday, but WKU’s first game won’t be until noon on Thursday. The Tops’ opponent will be decided the day before, with WKU playing the winner of the Jax State/Sam Houston game.

All games with be broadcast on ESPN+ with the exception of the championship game on Saturday. The championship game on Saturday will be on CBS Sports Network.

2025 CUSA Softball Championship Schedule

Wednesday | Noon Game 1: No. 3 Jax State vs. No. 6 Sam Houston (ESPN+)

Wednesday | 2:30 p.m. Game 2: No. 4 LA Tech vs. No. 5 NM State (ESPN+)

Wednesday | 5 p.m. Game 3: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 (ESPN+)

Thursday | Noon Game 4: No. 2 WKU vs. Winner Game 1 (ESPN+)

Thursday | 2:30 p.m. Game 5: No. 1 Liberty vs. Winner Game 2 (ESPN+)

Thursday | 5 p.m. Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4 (ESPN+)

Friday | Noon Game 7: Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5 (ESPN+)

Friday | 2:30 p.m. Game 8: Loser Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6 (ESPN+)

Friday | 5 p.m. Game 9: Loser Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8 (ESPN+)

Saturday | Noon Game 10: Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 9 (CBSSN)