TROY, Ala.— The WKU softball team (1-1) split its opening day decisions at the Troy Chick-fil-A Invite on Friday after notching a run-rule 8-0 win over Buffalo and falling 7-2 to North Florida.
For the day, senior Shawna Sadler led the team at the plate, going 4-for-6 with three runs scored. Senior Dani Pugh made her WKU debut in record fashion, as she tabbed six RBI with help from a game-ending grand slam, tying WKU's single-game RBI record against the Bulls.
The three-day tournament continues on Saturday with WKU taking on host Troy at 5 p.m. CT and Alabama State at 7:30 p.m. CT. Sunday will conclude tourney play with another contest versus the Hornets at 2:30 p.m.
All games will be available to follow via live stats on Troy's athletic page, TroyTrojans.com. In-game updates will also come through the WKU softball Twitter account, @WKUSoftball.
GAME ONE—WKU 8, Buffalo 0 (6 inn.)
The battery duo of senior Miranda Kramer and Pugh had WKU dealing in an 8-0 win over Buffalo.
Kramer (1-0) allowed just two hits in six innings in the circle, striking out 11 batters while walking none. The senior got WKU out of an inning with a strikeout in four of the six frames while the pitcher and her defense allowed just four Buffalo baserunners.
Pugh was one of four Lady Toppers with two hits in the contest, as the senior went 2-for-3 with a run scored in her grand slam. The last time WKU hit a grand slam was last season against Middle Tennessee, as Amanda Thomas hit the bomb and set the school record for RBI in a game.
WKU totaled 12 hits in the game, as seniors Larissa Franklin, Sadler and Jacqueline McGill had a pair of hits each. Franklin and Sadler added two runs apiece along with fellow classmate Preslie Cruce.
The Lady Toppers took an early 3-0 lead in the third after a two-RBI hit from Pugh got the offense rolling. With an illegal pitch advancing Cruce to third, junior Brooke Holloway singled to center field for the frame's final run.
A hit and error helped WKU get its first runner on base for Pugh's bomb, as senior Kayti Hanson advanced to third after a Franklin single. Franklin moved to second on a throw in her at bat, giving room for Sadler to load the bases on a hit. Cruce then walked in Hanson prior to Pugh's hit over the left field wall.
GAME TWO—North Florida 7, WKU 2
WKU's offense couldn't find its run production in the second game, as the Lady Toppers fell 7-2 to UNF.
The Lady Toppers totaled seven hits, led by Sadler's 2-for-3 effort, but the only runs to score came off of Pugh's two-RBI hit in the opening frame. WKU left seven runners on base in the contest.
In the circle, freshman Hannah Parker (0-1) took the loss after doing three innings of work, allowing five hits and five runs, four earned, to go with three walks. Redshirt freshman Kelsey Jernigan came in for relief, as she gave up the other five hits with two runs, two walks and five strikeouts in her stat line.
After WKU added a pair in the first, UNF responded with a four-spot in the bottom half, capitalizing on five hits, a walk, hit by pitch and an error before a throw from Franklin in center to Pugh at the plate for the final out halted the damage.
UNF added two in the fourth off a home run and another insurance run in the sixth after a bases-loaded error on WKU finished off the scoring.
For information on season tickets at $25 through the flexible season ticket plan, visit WKUSports.com or call the ticket office at 1-800-5-BIGRED.
The 2015 WKU softball season is being presented by the United States Marines. This season, the Marines and WKU Athletics are working together to promote the outstanding athletic and academic achievements of our female student-athletes. The Marines are proud to work with and support these future leaders of America.
For more information on WKU softball, visit WKUSports.com or follow the team on Twitter via @WKUSoftball.
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