WKU splits final day of Hilltopper Spring Fling
Published 6:00 am Tuesday, March 5, 2024
- Western Kentucky split a pair of softball games Sunday in the Hilltopper Spring Fling, beating Northern Illinois 10-2 in five innings before dropping a 2-0 decision to Southern Illinois in eight innings.
Western Kentucky’s softball team went 1-1 Sunday on the final day of the Hilltopper Spring Fling – the last of non-conference tournaments before Conference USA action opens.
In an early five innings, the Hilltoppers took care of Northern Illinois, 10-2, before falling to Southern Illinois, 2-0, in extra innings.
Brylee Hage went 3-for-4 against the Huskies as the Tops plated 10 runs off of 12 hits. WKU starting pitcher Katie Gardner allowed only one hit through a complete seven innings and struck out seven.
Northern Illinois got going off of starting pitching Kelsie Houchens in the top of the first, picking up an unearned run from an RBI single up the middle for a 1-0 lead.
Taylor Sanders and the Hilltoppers never trailed on the scoreboard starting from the bottom of the first. The slugger picked up her seventh home run of the season, plating two. With her 38th career home run at WKU, Sanders is tied for the program record in career long balls.
In the bottom of the second, Morgan Sharpe plated Jessica Bush as she picked up a sacrifice fly into left field.
In the fourth, Sophie Weber kicked off the Hilltopper offense with a two-run double down the left-field line before Kelsey Schmidt drew a bases-loaded walk for a 7-1 lead. Later in the frame, Bush’s RBI groundout scored Randi Drinnon. TJ Webster ended the scoring run for the Tops on a quick infield bunt back to the pitcher, collecting an RBI.
NIU plated one more to prevent run-rule in the fifth inning with a solo home run to center off of Houchens.
The Hilltoppers walked off the game run-rule style from a Cheyanne Sales double to left-center field to send Sharpe across the plate.
Houchens earned her second start of the season, pitching four innings and facing four batters in the top of the fifth inning before Gardner came in for relief. Houchens gave up only one earned run off of five hits, struck out one and picked up her second win of the season.
Against Southern Illinois, Gardner picked up her 67th career start in the circle for the Tops. She retired the first seven batters and gave up only one hit through a regulation seven innings.
Heading into extras, the Salukis plated two in the top of the eighth from a sac-fly to center and an RBI double.
WKU (13-6-1) returns to action Tuesday at Indiana. Game time is 4 p.m. CT.
