BOWLING GREEN, Ky.—The Western Kentucky University softball team (25-13, 12-3 SBC) will look to keep its five-game winning streak going, as the team welcomes Belmont (13-25) to the WKU Softball Complex on Tuesday, April 16 at 5 p.m. before traveling to Lipscomb (24-19) on Wednesday, April 17 for a doubleheader set for 5 p.m.
For those not able to make it to the Belmont game in person, live stats will be available via WKUSports.com while LipscombSports.com will have outlets for viewing the game in Nashville. Twitter updates will be @WKU_GameDay for both contests.
Last Time Out
The WKU softball team earned its second Sun Belt Conference sweep of the season, as it took all three games against ULM. Over the weekend, WKU posted 35 runs, 39 hits, nine doubles, nine home runs and 34 RBI. Junior Olivia Watkins hit .750 with six hits and seven runs while fellow classmate Kelsie Mattox hit .700 with seven hits, including three home runs. In the circle, junior Emily Rousseau had two wins while senior Mallorie Sulaski had one. Rousseau pitched 10 innings with eight strikeouts and three runs allowed. Sulaski had five innings of work with five hits allowed and a season-high six strikeouts.
Promotions
- Social Media Fan Appreciation Day - All WKU Athletics Facebook and Twitter fans will have a chance to print off an exclusive ticket coupon for free admission to the game against Belmont and a free popcorn special with a purchase of large soda at the Concessions by Centerplate. Find the WKU Athletics’ Facebook page at facebook.com/wkuathletics and Twitter page at twitter.com/wkusports.
Quick Notes
- WKU holds an unblemished 27-0 record over Belmont, including six run-rule victories and one going to extra innings. The Lady Toppers won the last meeting in 2012 by a score of 3-0. Against Lipscomb, WKU is 12-7 overall, but have lost five of the last six meetings. The Lady Tops are 5-3 in Nashville, as the Lady Bisons swept the doubleheader two seasons ago. The teams split last season’s meeting in Bowling Green.
- Junior Kelsie Mattox earned her third Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week award after hitting .643 with nine hits, including three doubles and three home runs, against Samford and ULM. The Alpharetta, Ga., native has been named Player of the Week at least once in each of her seasons on the Hill. It is the seventh time this season that a Lady Topper has been chosen as a weekly award winner, as five different players have been named. The seven selections is the most in any season in program history.
- The 8-3 win over ULM on Sunday marked win No. 25 for WKU this season. It is the sixth time under head coach Tyra Perry that WKU has had at least 25 wins while it is the 13th time in program history. The most wins by a WKU squad is 37 in 2002 while the most under Perry is 35 in 2009. WKU would have to win at least 12 of its last 14 regular-season games to tie the school record before the SBC Tournament.
- Sunday’s victory also set WKU with 12 wins this season in Sun Belt Conference play. The team has surpassed the league win total of the past three seasons and has a tied or better win total than every season but one, as WKU went 14-9 against SBC opponents in 2009.
By the Numbers
- 2— The Lady Toppers only have two home dates left on their regular-season schedule: Tuesday vs. Belmont and Saturday, May 4 against Middle Tennessee.
- 3— Amanda Thomas, Kelsie Mattox and Mallorie Sulaski went yard in three-consecutive at-bats on Saturday. It is the first time on record that WKU hit three-straight home runs in an inning.
- 5— Over the weekend series with ULM, WKU hit five home runs with two outs. The team also hit seven singles and six doubles with two away in an inning.
On Deck
WKU travels to Troy this weekend for a conference matchup beginning with a doubleheader on Saturday, April 20 at noon and concluding with a single game on Sunday, April 21 also scheduled for a noon first pitch.
