Western Kentucky’s softball team concluded its spring break trip Wednesday with an 8-0 loss at South Alabama.

South Alabama scored five unearned runs in the bottom of the first inning.

Taking over in the circle with two outs in the bottom of the first, Haylee Towers worked the next four innings and allowed three hits. The Jaguars plated one unearned run against the sophomore hurler while she added a strikeout.

South Alabama pushed its advantage to 6-0 in the bottom of the fifth before adding its first earned runs in the sixth to clinch the game at 8-0. South Alabama is the first team in 26 games to pick up a run-rule victory over WKU.

The Hilltoppers will host Middle Tennessee for the first Conference USA series at the WKU Softball Complex this season. WKU (17-9) will play a doubleheader at 1 p.m. Saturday before closing the series with a noon game Sunday.{&end}