"We saw different people step up for us today after committing a few early errors," head coach Amy Tudor shared. "Kelsey McGuffin stepped up huge for us in game one while three freshmen came up with some clutch hitting in the second game."
The Hilltoppers improved to 18-10 overall and 3-2 in Conference USA with the Saturday split. Middle Tennessee is now 19-9 (2-3 C-USA) with the mixed results.
WKU now owns six home runs through five Conference USA tilts in 2018. Across Saturday's doubleheader, the Hilltoppers racked up 12 hits, 12 runs and 12 RBI. In the circle, WKU allowed just seven earned runs to MTSU's 10.
WEEKEND INFORMATION
Sat., March 17 – vs. MTSU – L, 7-4
Vs. MTSU – W, 8-6
Sun., March 18 – Bowling Green, Ky. – 1 p.m. CT | Stats
GAME 27: MIDDLE TENNESSEE 7, WKU 4
Middle Tennessee used four hits and a Hilltopper error to plate five runs in a big first inning. WKU scored in the frame as well. Maddie Bowlds reached on a one-out single before Paige Carter drew a walk. Two batters later, Kelsey McGuffin stepped into the box and sent the first pitch she saw over the right field fence for a three-run home run. McGuffin's long ball marked her third of the season and cut the MTSU lead to 5-3.
After back-to-back Kelsey Aikey strikeouts in the top of the second inning, the Blue Raiders put a runner on board following a Hilltopper error and proceeded to score the runner. The visitors added their final tally in the top of the sixth for their seventh run.
Brittany Vaughn led off the top of the seventh with a double off the centerfield wall and proceeded to take third on a MTSU error. Two batters later, Jordan Thomas reached on another Blue Raider error that allowed Vaughn to score for the final 7-4 margin.
Shelby Nunn took the decision after getting the start, moving to 11-7 on the season. After relieving Nunn, Aikey tossed the final 6.2 innings of the contest, allowing five hits, two runs – one earned – while striking out four.
GAME 28: WKU 8, MIDDLE TENNESSEE 6
The Blue Raiders opened game two of the doubleheader with three first-inning hits but only scored one run before adding another tally in the top of the second frame. WKU got its bats going in the bottom of the second as McGuffin singled to right field before Kendall Smith stepped into the box two batters later and launched her fourth home run of the season to right field to knot things up at 2-2.
MTSU responded right back its next trip to the plate, scoring three unearned runs off the Hilltoppers to regain a 5-2 advantage. Not to be outdone, the Red and White matched the Blue Raiders' three-run tally in the bottom of the frame. Jordan Thomas led off the frame with a single before a Maddie Bowlds' double brought Thomas around to score. With one out, Paige Carter reached on a MTSU error before McGuffin drew a walk to load the bases. Up next, Vaughn stepped into the box and got hit by the first pitch she saw for an RBI for pull the Hilltoppers within one. With two away, Nunn picked up her first collegiate RBI in the form of a walk to score McGuffin and tie the contest at 5-5.
In the bottom of the fourth, Thomas did what she does best for the WKU squad and led off by reaching base in the form of her first collegiate home run.
Holding the MTSU offense scoreless for the second-straight inning, WKU added its final two tallies in the bottom of the fifth inning. Smith drew a two-out walk before Nunn stepped into the box and sent her first collegiate home run into the parking structure for an 8-5 lead.
Both offenses were held scoreless in the sixth inning before Middle Tennessee attempted a rally in the top of the seventh. The Blue Raiders led off with a double before the runner moved to third on a fly out to right field. MTSU's lone run of the inning came during the following at bat but the Blue Raiders loaded the bases before Nunn got the final say with a strikeout for the final out of the game.
Tossing 4.0 innings of relief, Nunn picked up the win moving to 12-7 on the season. The freshman allowed one MTSU run while recording zero walks and one strikeout. Haylee Towers took the no-decision as the Hilltoppers were tied when she left in the top of the fourth.
"Shelby Nunn made a huge adjustment from game one to game two in the circle, which was very important for us," Tudor stated.
TOPPER NOTES:
- WKU batted through the order in its three-run third inning in game two. The Hilltoppers plated three runs on two hits, one error, two walks and one hit by pitch.
- In six leadoff opportunities on the day, Jordan Thomas reached base safely four times to up her rating to .525 % (21-of-40) on the season. WKU is now 70-of-179 (.391%) as a team in leadoff opportunities.
- In the all-time series, WKU is now 36-26 against the Blue Raiders. MTSU's win in game one snapped a five-game winning streak by the Hilltoppers.
- The Hilltoppers launched four home runs on the day (Kelsey McGuffin, Jordan Thomas, Kendall Smith & Shelby Nunn). Three of the longballs came in game two – all by freshmen - to mark the second time on the year that the Hilltoppers left the yard three times in a game.
- Kelsey McGuffin matched her career-best RBI total with three in the day's first game on her home run. The junior also had a pair of multi-hit showings and now owns 19 career multi-hit games (8 this season). McGuffin's 3 RBI showing was the second of the sort in her career, her third multi-RBI game this season, and the 10th of her career.
- Jordan Thomas racked up three hits in game two for her second showing of the sort this season and sixth multi-hit game overall.
- Shelby Nunn collected her first three collegiate plate appearances in game two on the day. In the first trip to the plate she grounded out to third base. Her next trip up, Nunn drew an RBI walk. Her third trip to the plate resulted in her first collegiate home run – a two-run shot into PS3. Nunn's three-RBI is the 10th time this year an individual Hilltopper racked up three RBI.
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