Western Kentucky’s softball team opened its 2026 season on a high note with two wins on Friday over UNC Greensboro and Eastern Illinois in Statesboro, Georgia.

Against UNCG, WKU sophomore pitcher Erica Houge posted a career-high seven strikeouts in the 6-0 shutout of the Spartans (0-1 overall). On offense, junior infielder Annie White posted two hits, including a solo shot in the fifth inning.

In their first run-rule win of the season, WKU (2-0 overall) cruised to an 11-1 win over the Panthers (0-1) thanks to a two-run blast from sophomore infielder Charlotte Herron and two RBIs each from White and sophomore outfielder Kennedy Stinson.

“We were excited to kick off the season today,” WKU coach Amy Tudor said in a news release. “It was a great day for our circle and our offense. Our circle had great command and our offense produced a lot of runs on the day.”

In her second two-hit shutout of her career, Houge had no problems handling the Spartans’ offense and allowed nothing better than a single. Meanwhile, for the Hilltoppers, a Spartan fielding error in the second inning gave them their first two runs of the game while a wild pitch gave them third.

Up 3-0 going into the top of the third frame, junior outfielder Kendle White doubled to left center to score junior infielder Morgan Sharpe, who reached earlier with an error.

The fifth inning saw the final two runs of the game thanks to White’s home run to left center and Herron scoring on a successful first-and-third.

Having thrown a career-high seven strikeouts, Houge’s time in the circle was finished after the fifth inning as junior right hander Rylan Smith took over for the final two frames. Her final six outs comprised four strikeouts, a pop up to the infield, and a pop up to the outfield.

An explosive first inning set the tone for the Tops against Eastern Illinois as Herron collected a two-run home run, White grabbed another RBI with a single, and Stinson doubled to right to score two.

Senior right-hander Maddy Wood earned her first start of the 2026 season and wasted no time retiring the Panthers in the first. In the second frame, the Hilltoppers added another two runs thanks to an RBI single up the middle from Sharpe, who then came all the way around the base paths and scored on a wild pitch later in the inning.

Wood continued to work her way through EIU’s lineup, retiring them in order in the bottom of the second.

The Tops entered the third up 7-0 and extended their lead to 9-0 with a two-RBI double from Sharpe.

EIU’s only score came from a solo home run to left center in the bottom of the third.

The final two runs of the game came from a shallow single to left field from Herron and a sacrifice fly from White.

The Iowa native Wood finished the second complete game of her career.

WKU improves to a 1-0 overall record against UNCG and a 7-2 record against the Panthers that includes a six-game win streak.

The Hilltoppers continue their time in Georgia with two games on Saturday. They’ll take on UNCG at 9 a.m. CT and Georgia Southern at 11:30 a.m. CT. The game against the Eagles will be on ESPN+.