Bowling Green, Ky. - The Lady Topper softball team (29-27, 9-15 SBC) erased a four-run deficit in game one to clinch a spot in the Sun Belt Conference tournament with a 5-4 win over Middle Tennessee (18-31, 8-16 SBC) before defeating them 4-1 in game two to take the seventh seed in the tournament.
On the day, the Lady Toppers tallied nine runs off 15 hits with four doubles and two home runs. WKU pitching staff struck-out 10 Blue Raiders allowing five runs. Freshman Kelsie Mattox led with three hits, one double and one home run for two runs and two RBI. She now leads the team in home runs with eight. Sophomore Mallorie Sulaski hit two doubles for one run and two RBI, while pitching seven innings and striking out seven. Freshman Megan Johnson tallied her second home run of the season for two RBIs.
In game one, the Lady Toppers tallied five runs off nine hits with one home run. The win clinched a spot for the Lady Toppers in the Sun Belt Conference tournament. WKU was out-hit 14-9 but came up with clutch hits in the last two innings to earn the win. Mattox tallied a solo home run to knot the game in the bottom of the seventh, her eighth of the season. Sulaski tallied one hit for one run and one RBI. Sophomore Katrina Metoyer tallied a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth to bring in the winning run. Sophomore Kim Wagner opened the game pitching three innings giving up three runs off eight hits. Junior Dana Nathanson pitched the remaining five innings holding MTSU to no runs with six hits, striking out three. Nathanson improves her record to 3-3 on the season.
Middle Tennessee opened the game in the top of the first with three runs off four hits. Two singles a fielder's choice and a single up the middle brought the first run in for the Blue Raiders. With the bases loaded Kaycee Popham hit a double to left center bringing two more runs in for a 3-0 lead over WKU. The Blue Raiders added one run off one hit and one Lady Topper error in the top of the fifth inning. A single up the middle advancing to second on a wild pitch followed by an error in center field brought the one run in for a 4-0 lead over WKU.
The Lady Toppers battled back in the bottom of the sixth inning with three runs off three hits, leaving one stranded. Thomas opened with a double down the left field line. Sophomore Karavin Dew reached on a walk before Sulaski drilled a double to right center bringing Thomas in for the first WKU run. Junior Laura Smith hit a single down the right field line bringing Sulaski and Dew in for the third run, to bring the deficit to one run.
WKU knotted the game in the bottom of the seventh inning with one run off one hit. Mattox drilled a solo home run to left field to knot the game 4-4. The home run is her eighth of the season, taking the lead in home runs for the Lady Toppers.
In extra innings MTSU stranded three runners off two hits in the top of the eighth. WKU brought one run in off two hits in the bottom of the eighth to take the win. Junior Amanda Walden singled up the middle, freshman Olivia Watkins pinch ran for Walden. Senior Brittney Perry hit a single to left field before sophomore Ciara Garcia was intentionally walked, loading the bases with one out. Metoyer hit a sacrifice fly to center field, as MTSU dropped the ball, one run came in on the play to take the win.
In game two, the Lady Toppers tallied four runs off six hits. WKU out-hit the Blue Raiders 6-2. Mattox tallied a double for one run and one RBI in the game. Freshman Megan Johnson hit a two-run homer, for her second home run of the season. Sulaski pitched the seven innings allowing just one run off two hits while striking out seven, she improves her record to 12-10 on the season.
The Lady Toppers opened the bottom the first inning with three runs off three hits. Garcia led off with a single to right field, freshman Tiffany Gooch pinch ran for Garcia. Mattox followed up with a double to left field bringing Gooch in for the first run. With Mattox at second, freshman Megan Johnson drilled a home run to left center field for two runs and a 3-0 early lead over MTSU. The home run is Johnson's second of the season.
The Blue Raiders fought back in the top of the second with one run off one hit. With two outs, Kelsey Dortch hit a solo home run to left field.
WKU extended the lead in the bottom of the sixth with one run off one hit. Thomas reached on an error, Watkins pinch ran for Thomas and stole second. Dew reached on a fielder's choice, taking Watkins out on a run-down. Sulaski hit a double to center field bringing Dew in for the fourth run.
The Lady Toppers (29-27, 9-15 SBC) will head to the Sun Belt Conference tournament in Lafayette, La., to face FAU opening day Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. at Lamson Park.
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