BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - Following a doubleheader sweep of the Trojans on Friday night, the Lady Toppers battled it out with Troy completing the series sweep with a 2-0 shutout on Saturday afternoon. With the game scoreless through five innings, the Lady Toppers scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth to secure the victory.
WKU's pitching duo of Dana Nathanson and Kim Wagner kept the Trojans off the scoreboard through all seven innings. Troy threatened in the first and second innings racking up four hits but were unable to score following outstanding defensive play by the Lady Toppers. In the first inning with a runner on third and two outs, the Lady Toppers managed to end the inning getting Hayden Gann to ground out short for the final out.
Then in the second inning, Troy loaded the bases with just one out before Wagner came in to relieve Nathanson. Facing only one batter in the inning, she managed to get Sarah Shields to hit a line drive to senior Brooke Reed who then flipped the ball to third for the double play to end the inning.
For Troy, pitcher Ashlyn Williams allowed the Lady Toppers just one hit in six innings but gave up two hits in the bottom of the sixth to allow WKU to take a 2-0 lead into the final inning of play. After senior Jamie Hennis singled to reach base, she advanced to second off a single by senior Shannon Smith. With freshman Katrina Metoyer pinch running for Smith, she advanced to second and Hennis advanced to third off a double steal. Then on the next at bat, senior Brooke Reed singled to short to reach first and Hennis scored to give WKU a 1-0 lead. Metoyer then reached home off a throwing error to first base by Troy's shortstop on the same play.
Troy threatened in the top of the seventh putting runners on first and second but Wagner was able to retire Troy's last hope. In the game, WKU recorded four hits and were led by Reed who had two hits. Hennis and Smith also had one hit a piece. Wagner (13-5) picked up the win for the Lady Toppers pitching 5.2 innings and giving up three hits while striking out four. For Troy, Williams (15-14) took the loss after pitching six innings and giving up just four hits and striking out nine batters.
WKU will be back in action on Wednesday, April 7 when they head to Belmont for a doubleheader. Game one is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. and game two is slated to start at 3 p.m.
