Late Rally Comes Up Short as Tops Drop Doubleheader to LA Tech

Saturday, April 27

Monroe, La.

2 p.m. CT

Western Kentucky University

33-10, 15-4

Louisiana Tech

37-13, 15-4

WKU

LA Tech

Late Rally Comes Up Short as Tops Drop Doubleheader to LA Tech

4/27/2019 7:37:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 43WKU19 44WKU19

MONROE, La. – WKU Softball suffered a pair of losses to Conference USA Preseason favorite Louisiana Tech on Saturday from ULM Softball Field in Monroe, La. Originally scheduled to be played in Ruston prior to a tornado destroying the Lady Techsters' field, WKU and LA Tech relocated the series down the road to ULM.

Kennedy Sullivan went 3-for-5 on the day while Jordan Vorbrink added a 2-for-5 showing. Vorbrink and Shannon Plese added doubles for the Hilltoppers on the day.

WKU moved to 33-11 on the season and 15-5 in Conference USA action with the setbacks. Louisiana Tech ended a three-game skid to improve to 38-13 overall and 16-4 in league play.

GAME 1: LA TECH 8, WKU 0 [5]

For just the second time of the season, WKU Softball was shutout in a game as Louisiana Tech claimed an 8-0, five-inning decision to open the three-game series. Kennedy Sullivan broke up the Lady Techsters' no-hitter in the top of the fifth inning with a single. Paige Carter was the Hilltoppers' other batter to reach base after reaching safely on an error by Louisiana Tech in the fourth.

Tech plated two runs in the bottom of the first before chasing Kelsey Aikey in the bottom of the second, en route to a five-run frame. Shelby Nunn would work the game's final 2.2 innings after relieving Aikey who took the decision in the circle.

GAME 2: LA TECH 4, WKU 1

Game two saw WKU strike for its first hit in the opening frame as Shannon Plese connected for a two-out double to the left-center gap before ending up stranded. LA Tech opened the day's second tilt with a three-run first that saw the Hilltopper starter, Sullivan, chased after just one out.

After Louisiana Tech got a leadoff single and followed it with a base hit, both runners advanced into scoring position on a wild pitch before the home team got on the board with a sacrifice fly. The Lady Techsters' next batter added the first of four-straight singles before Aikey made her second appearance of the day. With a full count on the first batter she faced, Aikey induced a grounder to Rebekah Engelhardt who tagged the Tech runner heading to third for a fielder's choice before the righty handled a liner that came back at her for the final out.

Sullivan and Jordan Vorbrink opened the second inning with a pair of base hits and each advanced 60 feet on a sac bunt by Engelhardt, however, both Hilltoppers ended up stranded.

WKU held Tech scoreless in both the second and third frames while stranding four Lady Techster baserunners in the meantime.

Sullivan added her second hit of the game in the top of the fourth before ending up stranded. LA Tech would add another run in the bottom of the frame

Taylor Davis led off the top of the fifth with a pinch-hit single and moved around to third on a pair of groundouts. Davis would come in to score on a wild pitch for the final tally in the game.

Aikey and the defense held LA Tech scoreless over the last two innings, stranding two more runners to bring the total on the game to eight.

Kendall Smith and Vorbrink each added hits in the sixth, as Vorbrink delivered a double for her second hit of the game.

Engelhardt led off the top of the seventh with a hit by pitch before a fielder's choice replaced her on first with Davis. With two away, Jordan Thomas struck for a base hit down the left line before Kelsey McGuffin drew a hit by pitch to load the bases. The threat would come to an end on a fielder's choice to end the game.

Sullivan took the loss in the circle, moving to 15-4 on the season. Aikey worked 5.2 innings in relief, allowing just one more Lady Techster run during her appearance.

WKU out-hit the Lady Techsters 8-7 in the day's second tilt.

Next game: WKU and LA Tech will close out their three-game series on Sunday with a noon CT contest on the slate from the ULM Softball Field in Monroe, La.

How to Follow the Hilltoppers: For complete information on WKU Softball, follow the team on Twitter at @WKUSoftball, Instagram @WKU_Softball and Facebook /WKUSoftball.