WKU moved to 26-22 overall and 9-11 in Conference USA with the day's setbacks. Florida Atlantic improved to 25-23 and 12-7 in league action.
SERIES INFORMATION
Sat., April 28 – WKU at Florida Atlantic – 3 p.m. CT | L, 10-7
Sat., April 28 – WKU at Florida Atlantic – 5 p.m. CT | L, 13-12 (8)
Sun., April 29 – WKU at Florida Atlantic – Noon CT – Livestats | CUSA.tv
GAME 47: FAU 10, WKU 7
Saturday's first game saw Jordan Thomas open things up with a double before Brittany Vaughn drew a walk and Jordan Vorbrink single to load the bases. With one out, Kelsey McGuffin stepped into the box and drew a bases-loaded, full-count RBI walk to get WKU on the board. Rebekah Engelhardt followed with a single to score both Vaughn and Vorbrink for a 3-0 Hilltopper advantage.
Florida Atlantic wouldn't go down quietly though, as the Owls responded with six runs, three earned. The Owls tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the third to push ahead 9-3.
WKU responded in the top of the fifth as Engelhardt reached on a fielding error and stole second before Kendall Smith drew a walk. Morgan McElroy followed with a base hit to load the bases before Thomas came to the plate and sent the first pitch she saw over the left-field wall for WKU's first grand slam of the season, cutting the Hilltoppers' deficit to 9-7.
FAU added another tally in the bottom of the fifth to push its advantage back to three.
Kelsey Aikey took the loss in the day's first tilt, moving to 10-7 on the season. Shelby Nunn and Haylee Towers also saw action in the contest, combing for four strikeouts.
GAME 48: FAU 13, WKU 12 (8)
Despite loading the bases in the top of the first for the second-game of the day, WKU was unable to put any tallies in the score column. Florida Atlantic would go on to strike first, putting up a couple runs in their first trip to the plate.
WKU went on to respond its next trip to the plate to put up six runs to take its first lead of the game. McElroy reached on a fielder's choice RBI sacrifice bunt to score Haylee Towers for WKU's first tally. Thomas followed with an RBI fielder's choice to knot the contest before a Vorbrink RBI groundout put the Hilltoppers in the lead. Vaughn went on to reach on another FAU error that allowed Thomas to score before Rebekah Engelhardt sent a two-run home run off a car in the parking lot past the left field fence for the 6-2 advantage.
The Owls cut into the Hilltopper lead with two runs in the bottom of the third before adding another tally in the bottom of the fourth to pull within one.
In the top of the fifth, the Hilltoppers were at it again, ultimately scoring three runs to open up a 9-5 lead. Kelsey McGuffin registered an RBI base hit to score Kendall Smith for the first run before McElroy reached on an error that allowed Towers to score. McElroy would end up scoring the third run herself on a wild pitch.
After the hosts got a run back in the bottom of the fifth, WKU kept its offense rolling. Following a great diving grab in foul territory for the third out of the fifth, Vaughn led off the frame with a double down the left line. Smith would work a walk before Vaughn was thrown out on a fielder's choice at the plate from the bat of Towers. Stepping into the box, Kelsey McGuffin sent the fourth pitch she saw off the left foul pole for a three-run home run to double WKU's lead to 12-6.
Responding again, FAU went on to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth with a six-run frame of its own. The Owls would go on to hold WKU scoreless the next two frames before winning on a walk-off RBI single back up the middle in the bottom of the eighth.
Nunn got the start at worked 5.0 innings for the Hilltoppers, picking up a strikeout along the way. The freshman took a no decision. Aikey tossed the game's final two frames, allowing two runs on one hit with two strikeouts while taking the loss.
TOPPER NOTES:
- Freshman Jordan Thomas led off the series in Boca Raton with her team-leading 14th double of the season. The outfielder needs just one more two-baser to tie for second on WKU's single-season double list. The record is 16.
- WKU knocked three home runs across the Saturday doubleheader. In the first game, Jordan Thomas hit the Hilltoppers' first grand slam of the year for her fourth homer of the season. Game two saw a two-run home run by Rebekah Engelhardt before Kelsey McGuffin connected with a line drive off the foul pole – each for their seventh homers of the season.
How to Follow the Hilltoppers: For complete information on WKU Softball, follow the team on Twitter at @WKUSoftball, Instagram @WKU_Softball and Facebook /WKUSoftball.
