For the third straight season, Western Kentucky’s softball team kicked off its home slate with a win as the Hilltoppers came from behind to secure a 5-3 victory in the day’s opening game against Western Illinois. WIU responded in Game 2 to claim a 3-1 win Saturday.

The Hilltoppers’ Kendall Smith went 4-for-6 on the day with a triple and a home run while Jordan Thomas added a 4-for-8 effort with a double and a homer.

In the opener, Western Illinois (4-3) scored first with a run in the first inning.

WKU starting pitcher Kennedy Sullivan kept the Hilltoppers within a run heading into the bottom of the third. Shannon Plese delivered a two-run single to give WKU (5-2) a 2-1 lead.

In Western Illinois’ next trip to the plate, the Leathernecks struck for a two-run home run to regain the lead at 3-2.

The score remained in Western Illinois’ favor until the bottom of the fifth when Thomas connected for her first home run of the season to even things up at 3.

Kendall Smith opened the bottom of the sixth with a triple for WKU’s first leadoff hit of the day. Rebekah Engelhardt followed with a triple of her own to give the Hilltoppers the lead. WKU’s next batter, Sullivan, added to the lead with a sacrifice fly for the final 5-3 score.

Sullivan recorded her second complete-game win of the season, moving to 4-0 overall. The victory also marked WKU’s second come-from-behind win of the year.

WIU struck first again in Game 2, scoring in the top of the fourth with a two-run home run. The shot to center field was just the Leathernecks’ second hit of the game. Western Illinois added its third run of the contest in the top of the fifth inning on a deep sacrifice fly to center.

WKU’s Kelsey Aikey pitched the first five innings, striking out three. She allowed three hits and three earned runs. The junior took the loss, moving to 1-2 on the season.

Shelby Nunn took over in the circle in the top of the sixth and struck out the first two batters she faced before forcing a flyout to center field. Nunn worked the final two innings and allowed just one hit while striking out three.

Kendall Smith led off the bottom of the sixth inning with her third home run of the season.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Hilltoppers sent the go-ahead run to the plate but weren’t able to get the ball out of the infield as Western Illinois evened the series at 1-1 with the 3-1 victory.

WKU will conclude its three-game series with Western Illinois on Sunday with a 1 p.m. game at the WKU Softball Complex.{&end}