March 15, 2003
Bowling Green, Ky. - Sophomores Shelly Floyd and Renita Pennington combined for nine hits and six runs as the Western Kentucky University softball team cruised to a 14-4 victory over Valparaiso in six innings. With the win, the Hilltoppers (11-10) captured the No. 1 seed in bracket play for The Hilltopper Classic, which will take place on Sunday.
Pennington set a school record and new career high with five hits, while tying a school record with four runs scored. Pennington also stole her ninth base of the season, leaving her three short of the team record of 12. Floyd tied her career high with four RBI, while setting a new career high in hits, with four. WKU's second baseman also blasted her sixth home run of the season, tying her with teammate Jessie Richardson's school record for home runs in a season.
The Hilltoppers set season highs for hits (17) and runs (14) as they pushed their win streak to six games, while finishing the first two days of the Hilltopper Classic with a perfect 4-0 record. Western had five doubles as a team, including two by junior Samantha Hansen.
Freshman Adrienne Lathrop did a little bit of everything for WKU, allowing two runs over six innings of work, while hitting her first collegiate home run in the top of the sixth. The frosh pitcher scattered five hits over six innings to earn her seventh victory of the year.
Western scored three runs in each of the first three innings, but the Bruins kept their hopes alive by plating three runs of their own in the bottom of the third. The Hilltoppers return to action on Sunday at 2 p.m. (CST) and will face the No. 3 seed in the Hilltopper Classic's final day.
- WKU -
