"I think we learned a lot today," head coach Amy Tudor opened. "We made a few adjustments from game one to game two which worked out in our favor. Shelby came in and threw well in game two with the team playing good defense behind her. We've also continued to get runners on base so we just need to keep finding ways to punch those runs through in key situations. We're still growing and learning out there but I'm proud of how we responded today."
GAME 16: AUSTIN PEAY 5, WKU 0
After a pair of scoreless innings by both sides, Austin Peay broke through in the top of the third inning with three runs, including a two-run home run, to take a lead it would not relinquish. The Governors (4-9) added two more runs split between the sixth and seventh frames to get to the final 5-0 margin.
WKU left nine runners stranded on the base paths in the loss.
Freshman Maddie Bowlds registered three of the Hilltoppers' six hits on the contest with a 3-for-4 day at the plate. The multi-hit showing pushed Bowlds' tally of such to five on the season.
Haylee Towers tossed the first 5.0+ innings for the Red and White while allowing five hits and four earned runs against a trio of strikeouts. Kelsey Aikey finished the tilt's final 2.0 frames allowing one hit and one run while striking out a pair.
GAME 17: WKU 1, DAYTON 0
In the Hilltoppers' second game from the WKU Softball Complex on Friday, Dayton (4-9) looked to strike first after the Flyers' leadoff batter reached base but the Red and White would work out of the jam with a line-out double-play ball. Fast forward to the top of the third, Dayton registered its first hit in the form of a single to left field but the runner would end up stranded to bring WKU back to the plate.
Leading off for the Hilltoppers in the bottom of the third, Jordan Vorbrink beat out a single to shallow right field on the second pitch she saw. With the top of the order due up, Jordan Thomas struck with the Red and White's eighth triple of the year, bringing Vorbrink around for the contest's decisive run.
Over the course of the next three innings, WKU stranded five Dayton runners on the base paths before retiring the Flyers in order in the final stanza.
Shelby Nunn pitched the complete-game shutout – her second of the season – to improve to 8-3 on her debut campaign. The Bowling Green native has now gone the distance in seven of her eight starts, registering three punch outs while allowing just four hits and a walk Friday against Dayton.
WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Friday – 10 a.m. CT – Evansville def. Austin Peay, 4-1
12:30 p.m. CT – Evansville def. Dayton, 1-0
3 p.m. CT – Austin Peay def. WKU, 5-0
5:30 p.m. CT – WKU def. Dayton, 1-0
Saturday – 10 a.m. CT – Dayton (A) vs. Austin Peay (H)
12:30 p.m. CT – WKU vs. Evansville
3 p.m. CT – 1 vs. 4
5:30 p.m. CT – 2 vs. 3
Sunday – 11 a.m. CT – Consolation
1:30 p.m. CT – Championship
TOPPER NOTES
- Two Hilltopper freshmen – Maddie Bowlds and Jordan Thomas – had multi-hit games on the day. Bowlds went 3-for-4 for her third showing with three or more hits on the season. Thomas' 2-for-3 performance in the win over Dayton was her fourth multi-hit game of the year.
- Jordan Thomas knocked her second triple of the young season bringing WKU's 2018 total to eight.
- After getting shut out in the 5-0 loss to Austin Peay – WKU's second time being held scoreless – the Hilltoppers responded by shutting out Dayton, the fourth team to fall victim to a WKU shutout.
