BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Kathryn Downing's two-hit gem combined with stellar WKU Softball defense helped the Hilltoppers get back on track with a 1-0 shutout of Murray State. Downing faced one over the minimum in the one-hour and 10-minute non-conference tilt in front of a packed WKU Softball Complex.
"The crowd was fantastic for this game at home tonight," head coach Amy Tudor opened. "Winning is contagious and we are going to carry this momentum with us into the weekend. We played great defense and I think our plate approach is one area that we still have to improve on, but overall you're going to take a win."
WKU improved to 19-18 on the year with the victory while handing Murray State its 10th loss of the season as the Racers now sit at 25-10.
After a quick first three innings of play, the Hilltoppers got on the board in the fourth inning - which proved to be the most crucial play of the day. In the bottom of the fourth to start the frame, Brittany Vaughn doubled down the third base line on the fourth pitch of the at-bat to get things going for the Hilltoppers. Jordan Mauch did her part by moving Vaughn up to third with a ground out to the pitcher. With Vaughn 60 feet from home, catcher Taylor Proctor hit a hard ground ball that bounced over the Racers shortstop to score the eventual winning run.
With Kathryn Downing spinning a one-hitter at the start of the sixth inning, Racer Kaylee Ranburger singled to try to pull some momentum. WKU responded, though, with a game-changing double play as the Hilltoppers used four arms to throw out the Murray State runner at the plate to put an end to the threat.
Just one out away from victory, Downing closed the game with a swinging strikeout, to close her seventh-career complete game shutout. The senior pitcher faced just one over the minimum, throwing 69 pitches with a pair of strikeouts and just two hits allowed. The outing marks Downing's third-career two hitter while on The Hill.
"I felt like her stuff was really good today so we could set hitters up and she did an excellent job of executing," Tudor said of Downing's performance. "She had a few misses but the misses were good and that's what we talk about. I felt like she had great command on the mound today."
WKU's hitting came from the top half of the lineup, getting hits from Kara Brewer, Vaughn, Mauch and Proctor.
"Yesterday was probably our longest and hardest practice that we've had in a long time," Tudor shared. "We were really focusing more on defense than anything because that is what is going to win ball games in the end. I felt like we played great defense behind her and she kept us in the game with total control at the mound."
The Hilltoppers will continue their homestand this weekend with UAB coming to town for a cross-division Conference USA matchup. The sides will play a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. CT, with the final game scheduled for a noon first pitch on Sunday.
