BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – WKU Softball split Wednesday's doubleheader against Eastern Kentucky from The Hill, taking game one 6-3 before falling 8-4 in the second tilt. The Hilltoppers climbed to 24-15 overall with the split results while EKU moved to 23-14.
"I thought we swung the bat pretty well today and that we played some good defense behind our pitchers," head coach Amy Tudor opened. "Kelsey Aikey had a great day in the circle and overall our team moral was up, which is something we've been talking about. I felt like the team was in it today and we're using these two games to prepare for UAB."
GAME 38: WKU 6, EKU 3
After retiring the Colonel batters in order to get the day started, WKU took advantage of three EKU first-inning mishaps to open a 4-0 lead. After Jordan Thomas drew a leadoff walk, Maddie Bowlds and Jordan Vorbrink each reached on EKU errors while each getting credited with sacrifice bunts. Thomas scored the game's first run after taking two bases on Vorbrink's sacrifice. Paige Carter followed with a walk before Kelsey McGuffin cleared the bases with a base hit.
Kelsey Aikey carried her no-hit effort into the top of the third before the visitors struck for three runs and three hits to pull within one run. Following a scoreless fourth frame, WKU added an insurance run off McGuffin's bat in the bottom of the fifth as Vorbrink scored. The Hilltoppers added their final tally on a fielder's choice that allowed Rebekah Engelhardt to score from second.
Following EKU's three-run third inning, Aikey allowed just two hits the rest of the way. The sophomore moved to 10-4 on the season with the win. Aikey registered three strikeouts while tossing 114 pitches in her fourth complete game of the season.
GAME 39: EKU 8, WKU 4
EKU responded in game two with a quick start, taking a 2-0 lead before the Red and White got to the plate. The Colonels added another run in the top of the second inning on a bases-loaded walk before WKU starter Haylee Towers struck out the next EKU batter.
The Hilltoppers broke into the scoring column in the bottom of the second frame, sending six batters to the plate. McGuffin opened things up with a one-out single up the middle before Brittany Vaughn moved McGuffin into scoring position with a base hit. Both runners advanced 60 feet on a groundout before Engelhardt sent a two-RBI single back up the middle to bring WKU within 3-2.
Both sides added another run in their respective half innings during the third frame. EKU got its run in the form of a solo home run while WKU strung together a Thomas single and an RBI double by Vorbrink.
Neither side tallied runs in the fourth before both dugouts added another tally in the fifth each on solo home runs. WKU's long ball came off the bat of Carter for the sophomore's fifth of the year.
In their final trip to the plate, EKU extended its lead to four runs at 8-4 to put the game out of reach for the Hilltoppers. Vorbrink drew a one-out walk in the bottom of the seventh but ended up stranded as the Red and White popped up the next two outs to the second baseman.
Towers took the loss in the game moving to 1-2 on the season as the Hilltoppers were never able to tie or take the lead. The sophomore threw two frames in the circle with a strike out and three runs allowed. Shelby Nunn tossed the final 5.0 innings, allowing five runs while striking out three.
Next up, the Red and White will hit the road for another crucial C-USA series. WKU will head to Birmingham, Ala., to take on UAB in a weather-adjusted doubleheader on Friday. The schedule for Saturday is still pending with inclement weather in the forecast.
TOPPER NOTES:
- In game one, freshman Maddie Bowlds knocked her second triple of the season to bring WKU's total to 11 on the year. Bowlds – along with three other Hilltoppers – all share the team lead with two triples apiece.
- Paige Carter knocked her fifth home run of the season in the day's second game. She is now one of four Hilltoppers tied for the team home run lead at five. WKU is now up to 29 homers on the season.
- With the doubleheader split, WKU still owns the all-time advantage over EKU, improving to 12-11 against the Colonels.
- Kelsey McGuffin notched 3 RBI in game one for her fifth multi-RBI game of the year and 12th of her career.
- WKU now sits at 13-7 from the WKU Softball Complex this season. Rebekah Engelhardt had a pair of RBI in game two for her fifth multi-RBI contest of the year and the 10th of her career.
- Brittany Vaughn added a two-hit performance in game two with a pair of base hits. The redshirt-senior now owns six multi-hit games on the year and 35 across her career.
How to Follow the Hilltoppers: For complete information on WKU Softball, follow the team on Twitter at @WKUSoftball, Instagram @WKU_Softball and Facebook /WKUSoftball.
