“We came out flat versus Austin Peay, and things didn’t go our way early against Illinois State” said head coach Rachel Lawson. “We got out of doing what we do well, and we need to learn from this.”
Against APSU, Renikka Toliver scored on a Shelby Smith single to give the Hilltoppers a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning.
Ami Bush’s singled to left field scored one Lady Gov runner to knot things up, 1-1. With one out, WKU pitcher Ryan Rogge caught Amy Josephson looking at strike three then struck out Krista Henke to end the inning.
Tied at 1-1, the contest went into extra innings and WKU took a 2-1 advantage after Rebecca Horesky singled to right field to score Alana Towns. In the bottom of the frame, APSU ended the game with Megan Brooks’ two-run homer to left field to make the score 3-2.
Rogge (0-6) finished with nine strikeouts and gave up five hits in 7.1 innings. Lacey Briscoe (3-2) picked up the win for the Lady Govs, throwing only in the eighth and final inning.
WKU managed only one hit in the championship game of the invitational against ISU. Becky Bishop’s single up the middle in the top of the seventh spoiled Redbird pitcher Shannon Nicholson’s (4-5) no-hitter. Adrienne Lathrop (9-4) held ISU hitless, but walked seven batters and allowed four earned runs in 2.1 innings. Tricia Gaither paced ISU with two runs and one hit.
The Hilltoppers (14-11) will play two games against IUPUI Tuesday in Bowling Green beginning at 2 p.m. (CST).
