Box Score (PDF)
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — WKU Softball picked up its second victory of the Hilltopper Spring Fling as the Red and White produced an 8-0 victory to take down Indiana State in five innings. The Red and White registered seven hits on the day with three coming off the bat of Brittany Vaughn.
The Sycamores, out of the Missouri Valley Conference, fell to 3-4 on the season with the loss, while WKU climbed to three games above .500.
"I thought the difference in the game was our defense today," WKU head coach Amy Tudor shared. "Indiana State is the reigning MVC champion and they play the short game well. That team is able to put the ball on the ground and get to one and can do a lot of damage, but I thought both our infield and outfield defense was spectacular and limited that."
WKU wasted no time getting on the board in the bottom of the opening frame, taking a 1-0 lead after Adarian Gray took a bases-loaded walk to plate Tommi Stowers. Stowers led off for the Hilltoppers by taking a five-pitch walk to get on base for the home squad.
"I think that adjustments have been made and that we've put some new things in have definitely helped at the plate," stated Tudor. "The kids have done a great job in responding; it hasn't just been one player, it's our whole team effort."
In the bottom of the next inning, Haylee Towers took a one-out walk to get aboard and proceeded to steal second base before Vaughn stepped up to the plate and knocked a two-out shot over the centerfield wall. The homerun gave the Hilltoppers a 3-0 lead in the tilt and was Vaughn's third of the season, a new single-season career best.
Towers carried a no-hitter into the top of the fourth inning with two outs before Indiana State's clean-up hitter placed a single into shallow centerfield. The Hilltopper defense responded and the Sycamore runner was stranded.
Neither side would threaten again until the bottom of the fifth inning when WKU Softball secured the victory with a season-high five runs in the frame to run-rule the visiting Sycamores. Taylor Proctor was dealt her second walk of the day to get on base with one out. Kara Brewer followed with a single and advanced on a right-fielder error, which moved Proctor to third. Gray stepped into the box and was hit by a pitch to load the bags still with only one out. At that point, Paige Carter was called upon to pinch hit in the situation and delivered with a grand slam just over the fence underneath the scoreboard to bust the game open at 7-0.
"Paige swings the bat great. She did a great job putting a good swing on the bat and going to the opposite field with that grand slam. That was a big-time pinch hit."
Towers followed up with a two-out single up the middle and moved into scoring position with a Stowers walk. Vaughn stepped up and sent the first pitch she saw back into centerfield to score Towers, which ended the game with a final score of 8-0.
The 8-0 victory is the Hilltoppers' second of the weekend and improved the squad 7-4 on the young season. Towers picked her first win (1-3) in the circle with a three-hit complete-game shutout.
"I thought Haylee Towers hit her spots better today and located the ball how she needed to while mixing speeds and ultimately she was very effective in the circle," closed Tudor.
On Saturday, the squad will look to play a twin-bill, taking on IUPUI at 12:30 p.m. followed by Wright State at 3 p.m. With rain in the forecast, check any of the team's social media accounts or WKUSports.com for updates.
NOTES
- Vaughn's home run in the bottom of the second inning was her third of the season, a new single-season high for the redshirt-junior. She now has hit seven career longballs.
-Haylee Towers carried a no-hitter through 3.2 innings before Indiana State's clean-up hitter, Brooke Mann, put a well-placed single into shallow centerfield.
- WKU Softball won its first run-rule game of the season today, defeating Indiana State in just five innings of play, 8-0.
- Paige Carter was called upon to pinch hit with one out in the bottom of the fifth inning and sent a grand slam just under the scoreboard in right field. The homerun was the first of her career.
-Six different Hilltoppers have accounted for the team's nine homeruns on the 2017 campaign.
WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Thursday - WKU def. Illinois State, 8-2
Friday @ WKU SOFTBALL COMPLEX
Illinois State def. Wright State, 3-0
Indiana State def. IUPUI, 15-8
WKU def. Indiana State, 8-0 (5)
@ BUCHANON PARK
Illinois State def. Austin Peay, 7-2
Austin Peay def. Wright State, 3-2
Saturday @ WKU SOFTBALL COMPLEX
10 am - IUPUI vs. Illinois State |
12:30 pm - IUPUI vs. WKU | Livestats
3 pm - Wright State vs. WKU | Livestats
5:30 pm - Austin Peay vs. Indiana State |
@ BUCHANON PARK
9:30 am - Wright State vs. Indiana State |
Sunday @ WKU SOFTBALL COMPLEX
10 am - Wright State vs. IUPUI |
12:30 pm - Austin Peay vs. IUPUI |
3 pm - Austin Peay at WKU | Livestats
All-day passes for this weekend's tournament games from Friday-Sunday can be purchased for $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and younger. All-day passes cover Buchanon Park games as well, fans just need to keep their ticket stubs. As always, the Hilltopper flexible season ticket packages are on sale for $25, which includes 25 admittances to WKU Softball games that can be used during the Hilltoppers' opening weekend on The Hill.
