Western Kentucky’s softball team started its conference slate in dramatic fashion on Friday with a four-run, walk-off 4-3 win in Game 1 and a five-inning, 8-0 run-rule win in Game 2 against Missouri State at the WKU Softball Complex.

With the two wins, the Hilltoppers matched their best start in program history Friday night, going 17-3 overall and 2-0 in Conference USA play.

In Game 1, Jenna Blanton hit a game-winning two-RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning to take the first, 4-3. In Game 2, three Hilltoppers hit home runs as they cruised to their seventh run-rule win of the season.

“I think we’ve matured,” WKU coach Amy Tudor said in a news release. “We got Jenna (Blanton) back this year and we lost her early last year. A lot of our young players also got a lot of experience and so I think that’s paying off now. You have to go through some hardships to be strong, and we definitely had some bumps last year. But this year we’ve blended together and support each other, which is fun from a coaching point of view.”

WKU’s Erica Houge earned her ninth start and win of the season in the opener. The Bears’ (11-10 overall, 0-2 CUSA) only run production of the game came from three solo home runs.

Houge held the Bears scoreless for the remainder of the game after allowing only one more hit outside of the Bears’ home runs in the first and sixth innings. In addition, she fanned a total of six and had four 1-2-3 innings.

WKU posted its second walk-off win in three games as the offense started to take advantage of seeing the Bears’ Emily Karanda for the third time in the seventh.

A walk for Maci Masters, a single from Charlotte Herron and an RBI single from Lauren Satterly and the Tops put themselves on the board.

With the score at 3-1 with only one out, Morgan Sharpe singled to second base to load the bases.
Kendle White then singled to the pitcher to score another, bringing WKU within one, 3-2.

Blanton then singled just over the shortstop’s head to score the final two runs to earn the 11th straight win for WKU.

Seven of WKU’s eight runs in the second game came from home runs as WKU posted its fourth game this season with three or more home runs.

Katie Murphy hit her first home run of the season for three runs, Kendle White hit a two-run home run and Annie White hit a two-run home run for the sixth and seventh runs of the inning.

The eighth run came from an RBI single from Anna Mauck in the bottom of the fourth, scoring Kennedy Stinson, who reached earlier in the inning with a double.

Rylan Smith earned her fourth start of the season and her third win after throwing a five-inning complete game. She allowed only two hits and struck out a season-high eight on the day.

WKU will close out its three-game series against Missouri State on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for noon at the WKU Softball Complex.