March 2, 2003
Chattanooga, Tenn. - After two disappointing losses on Saturday, including a 6-5 loss to Chattanooga in 10 innings, the Western Kentucky University softball team (4-7) closed out the Frost Classic with a pair of 10-run victories on Sunday. The Hilltoppers cruised past Tennessee State 10-0 in their first action of the day and followed that up by dropping a season-high 11 runs on Marshall in an 11-1 victory.
Sophomore Shelly Floyd and junior Allison Silver earned all-tournament honors for their play this past weekend. Both players capped off an impressive weekend with big performances in WKU's final game with Marshall. Silver allowed one earned run to pick up her first victory of the season, while Floyd scored three runs and jacked a three-run homer. This is the second all-tournament selection of the year for Floyd, who was named to the Bama Bash's all-tournament team and is currently riding a 10-game hit streak.
Western finished with a 3-3 record in the Frost Classic, won by host Chattanooga. The Hilltoppers return to action on Wednesday, March 2nd in a doubleheader against Tennessee-Martin. The game will be WKU's 2003 home opener and is scheduled to start at 2 p.m. (CST).
Western Kentucky 10, Tennesee State 0 (4 1/2 innings)
The Hilltoppers used a nine run fourth inning and a strong outing from freshman Adrienne Lathrop to cruise to a 10-0 victory on Sunday morning. While Tennessee State's five errors helped the WKU cause, Western benefitted most from several big games at the plate, as head coach Leslie Phelan had a trio of players record multi-hit games, multi-RBI games and score multiple runs.
Junior Riley Garcia led the way for WKU with a two-hit, two-run, two-RBI performance. Senior Brandy Hawkins followed with two hits and two RBI, while Lathrop helped her own cause with two base hits. Floyd rounded out the two-RBI trio, while freshman Natasha Sevco and sophomore Dana Rey joined the game's two-run club.
The Hilltoppers jumped ahead 1-0 in the first inning after Garcia scored on a sacrifice fly from Floyd. The 1-0 advantage was all the run support Lathrop would need, as the first-year pitcher allowed just two hits over 4.0 innings while striking out four batters and walking none.
Western Kentucky 11, Marshall 1 (4 1/2 innings)
First inning control problems by Marshall's Sarah Chamberlain gave Western all the edge they would need in WKU's 11-1 win, as the Thundering Herd surrendered six runs in the first inning after issuing five straight free passes to the Hilltoppers (one hit batsman and four consecutive walks).
Senior Kristalyn Smith added to the damage in the second inning with a two-run blast, scoring Floyd who had reached on her third double of the season. Smith's mammoth home run was measured at over 250 feet.
Already up 8-0, Floyd added some insurance runs in the third with a three-run homer, scoring Hawkins and Garcia. It was Floyd's third homer of the season, second of the Frost Classic, and gave her 10 RBI for the tournament. Silver went the distance against the Herd to pick up her first win of the season.
- WKU -
