May 2, 2014
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ATLANTA—The Western Kentucky University softball team (31-21-1, 10-9) belted out a pair of home runs, but the power hits wouldn't be enough, as the Lady Toppers fell 3-2 in game one of the series at Georgia State (29-24, 11-8) on Friday night.
The setback puts WKU with seven-straight losses, as the team will look to close out the final regular-season date on a different kind of note when the series with the Panthers concludes on Saturday, May 3 with a doubleheader beginning at noon CT.
Junior Preslie Cruce and senior Olivia Watkins led the Lady Toppers at the plate with two hits each, as WKU totaled seven in the contest.
Senior Emily Rousseau (16-15) took the loss after pitching all six innings with 10 hits and two earned runs allowed. The right-handed pitcher also had seven strikeouts with two walks handed out.
For GSU, Kaitlyn Medlam (19-11) earned the complete-game win after striking out 10 batters with two walks in her line. Taylor Anderson led the Panthers in batting with a trio of hits followed by Mandy Blackwell with two.
Cruce got things going quickly after she led off the game by sending a 1-2 pitch over the scoreboard in right center field to put the Lady Toppers ahead early.
The home team took over the lead in the fourth inning, gaining a 2-1 advantage. With one out and a runner on first, an error put two Panthers in scoring position before RBI singles from Jessica Clifton and Anderson brought in the runs. The Panthers' lead increased in the sixth after Anderson hit a solo home run on the first pitch of the at-bat to put the score at 3-1.
WKU threatened a rally in the seventh, as junior Jacqueline McGill hit a one-out bomb over left center field to make it a 3-2 ballgame. Sophomore Brooke Holloway then hit an infield single while Cruce walked to have runners on with two outs; however, a popout to left ended the game with the Panthers win.
For more information on WKU softball, visit WKUSports.com or follow the team on Twitter via @WKUSoftball.
