GAME NOTES
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – WKU Softball is set to open the 2019 season this weekend in Gulf Shores, Ala., at the Sand Dollar Classic. Five games are on the slate for the Hilltoppers as the squad will play doubleheaders on Friday and Saturday before taking the field for the final time on Sunday. Losing a total of one starter and two letterwinners from its 2018 squad, the Red and White return experience in nearly every position.
WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Friday, Feb. 8 – 11 a.m. CT | vs. Missouri State | Livestats
Friday, Feb. 8 – 5 p.m. CT | vs. No. 17 Auburn | Livestats
Saturday, Feb. 9 – 11 a.m. CT | vs. Florida A&M | Livestats
Saturday, Feb. 9 – 2 p.m. CT | vs. Tennessee State | Livestats
Sunday, Feb. 10 – 10 a.m. CT | vs. South Alabama | Livestats
Information regarding the Gulf Shores Sportsplex, tickets, parking and more can be found on the tournament central site, available here.
Weekend action will open Friday morning with a tilt against Missouri State, a squad that WKU has faced twice prior. The Hilltoppers are 1-1 all-time against the Bears. MSU went 32-20 during the 2018 season.
WKU's Friday night matchup will be against No. 17 Auburn, who leads the all-time series with the Tops 2-0. The Tigers posted a 41-17 record a season ago.
Since 2000, WKU Softball has played 11 different SEC squads. The Hilltoppers have gone 18-43 up against SEC opposition. Under Coach Tudor's reign, the 2014-2018 squads have gone head to head with seven of the SEC programs, putting together a record of 5-10. In 2014 the Red and White took down No. 2 Tennessee on the Volunteers' home turf; Tudor's second game coaching for WKU against an SEC school. Over the 2017 opening weekend, WKU Softball headed to Starkville, Mississippi, and took down the host Bulldogs in a 1-0 decision. WKU dropped decisions to No. 8 LSU and No. 18 Kentucky in 2018.
Saturday morning, the Hilltoppers will play back-to-back contests against Florida A&M followed by Tennessee State. WKU and FAMU have never met while WKU owns a 24-2 advantage all-time over TSU. Florida A&M is coming off a 23-29 season while Tennessee State went 4-48 last season, including two losses to the Red and White.
Weekend action will conclude on Sunday against former Sun Belt foe, South Alabama. WKU trails the Jaguars 11-15 all-time. USA went 29-27 a season ago.
WKU Softball has claimed its season-opener in each of the last six seasons and will look to extend the streak to include the 2019 campaign. Head coach Amy Tudor is 14-0 in her career in season-opening contests entering her 15th season as at the helm of a program.
The squad features five student-athletes in their final seasons on The Hill including Cassidy Blackford, Rebekah Engelhardt, Kelsey McGuffin, Shannon Plese and Jordan Vorbrink. Blackford redshirted her first year at WKU but will exit at the same time as her fellow four-year teammates, Engelhardt and McGuffin. Vorbrink enters her second season with the Hilltoppers after playing her first two years at Louisville. Plese is a redshirt-senior addition that has made stops at Chattanooga State CC, South Carolina and Tennessee before spending her final season with the Tops.
How to Follow the Hilltoppers: For complete information on WKU Softball, follow the team on Twitter at @WKUSoftball, Instagram @WKU_Softball and Facebook /WKUSoftball.
Western Kentucky University Athletics
- Champions Climb Here
- WKU Athletics
- Athletic Director
- Academic Services
- Annual Report
- Athletic Communications
- Athletic Hall of Fame
- Athletic Training
- Big Red
- CLIMB Program - NIL
- Compliance
- Facilities
- Financial Reports
- For Students
- Student Employment
- Forms/Requests
- Book Big Red
- Donation Requests
- Site Feedback
- For Fans
- Hilltopper Highlights
- Gameday Promotions
- Alumni Tailgates
- Big Red's Rascals
- Basketball Gameday
- Football Gameday
- Mobile Tickets
- Travel Center
- Tickets
- Give
