C-USA Standings
MIAMI - In the final regular-season Conference USA doubleheader of the season, WKU Softball dropped a pair of three run games to [RV] FIU in Miami by scores of 3-0 and 4-1, respectively. Both Hilltopper pitchers tossed complete games on the day as Kathryn Downing and Haylee Towers have each now thrown 12 complete games on the season.
"FIU is a solid hitting squad and has a very talented freshman pitcher that we faced in both of today's games," head coach Amy Tudor shared. "Their pitcher was able to keep us off-balance at the plate which is something we'll certainly look to adjust going into tomorrow's game. However, I was proud of the way we stayed competitive in both games against a very hot FIU team."
GAME 50: [RV] FIU 3, WKU 0 ( Box Score)
With nine scoreless half frames to open the day's doubleheader, FIU was able to take a 3-0 lead on the Hilltoppers in the bottom of the third with a three-run home run. The WKU squad notched a pair of infield groundouts to get out of the inning and back to the dugout.
Following the knock, Downing faced one over the minimum the rest of the day. Going the distance in the circle, Downing struck out a pair of Panthers while allowing just five hits on the day. The senior is now 14-11 on the year.
Kelsey McGuffin registered WKU's lone hit of the game in the top of the fourth inning when she beat out a bunt for an infield single. McGuffin also got on board in her first plate appearance after taking a hit by pitch.
GAME 51: [RV] FIU 4, WKU 1 ( Box score)
In the opening frame, WKU saw two both Paige Carter and Brittany Vaughn reach base with walks before both Hilltoppers moved into scoring position but ultimately ended up stranded. FIU went on to send seven batters to the plate to open the day offensively. A trio of Panthers would end up scoring in the frame, with just two of those runs going down as earned after a pair of Hilltopper errors.
With two outs in the top of the second inning, Morgan McElroy notched a single to right field to get the Red and White in the hit column on the day. WKU would go on to hold FIU in the bottom of the frame and get back to work in the top of the third inning. Carter opened the inning with a single and moved into scoring position on a McGuffin single. Both runners advanced 60 feet on a sacrifice bunt by Vaughn before Jordan Mauch sent a single right back up the middle to plate Carter from third to make the score 3-1.
After FIU scored in the first inning, Haylee Towers downed 11 of the next 12 batters she faced with the help of the WKU defense.
The Hilltoppers managed to load the bases with one out in the top of the sixth inning before FIU made the call to the bullpen for its third pitcher of the day. WKU ended up empty handed at the plate and took the field still trailing 3-1.
McGuffin finished 2-for-4 at the plate on the day for her fifth multi-hit game of the season. Vaughn tallied her 17th free base via hit by pitch on the season in the seventh inning.
Towers threw her 12th complete game of the season while moving to 6-11 on the year. The freshman registered a strikeout against two walks on 87 total pitches.
"I felt like both Downing and Towers threw well today against a very good FIU team," Tudor continued. "Keeping their speed off the bases was definitely a focus for us this week and I think we executed that plan today."
Game three of the series is set for a noon CT first pitch on Sunday.
