Tops Blast Five Home Runs on Two-Win Saturday

Saturday, February 29

Bowling Green, Ky.

12:30 p.m. CT

Western Kentucky University

14-4

Illinois State

8-8

Illinois State

WKU

2/29/2020 7:49:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Game 18 Game 19

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – WKU Softball kept its bats hot on day two of the Hilltopper Spring Fling, racking up five home runs including a pair of two-home run games from Taylor Sanders and Jordan Thomas. The Red and White secured their fifth come-from-behind win of the year in a 5-2 decision over Illinois State before turning in its first walk-off win in a 12-4 five-inning victory against IUPUI.

"We had great plate approaches and scored when we needed to today," head coach Amy Tudor shared. "Sullivan had a big day at the plate and in the circle. Along with her, Thomas and Sanders both produced 4 RBI in game two. Hage had a great day at the plate as well. In the circle, Aikey and Sullivan both had great command today. Our ability to keep hitters off balance along with solid defense was key to our success today."

WKU is now 15-4 on the season and enters Sunday's tilt with a five-game win streak.

GAME 18: WKU 5, ILLINOIS STATE 2
In the final game of round robin play, WKU Softball struck first – plating a run in the bottom of the second inning. Kendall Smith led off the frame with a single and switched corners on a double from Brylee Hage before touching the plate on an errant throw for the day's first run.

Illinois State would take the lead in the top of the fourth with a two-out home run for a 2-1 advantage before Kelsey Aikey punched out her eighth batter to get the Tops out of the frame. From there, the Redbirds would record just one more hit the rest of the way before the Hilltoppers retired nine of the final 10 ISU batters.

A four-run fifth inning would secure WKU's fifth come-from-behind win of the season. TJ Webster started the inning with a one-out base knock and two batters later would be standing on third with Taylor Davis 60 feet behind her. At that point, Kennedy Sullivan delivered a two-run double for the lead before Smith followed with a two-run home run for the final 5-2 margin.

Aikey earned the complete-game win in the circle, striking out 12 while allowing zero walks. The senior moved to 7-2 with her fifth complete-game victory of the season. Aikey is now three strikeouts shy of tying for fifth on WKU's career list, sitting at 436 to date.

Smith finished with a two-hit and two-RBI showing while notching her sixth home run of the season.

GAME 19: WKU 12, IUPUI 4 – FIVE INNINGS

WKU drew another showdown with IUPUI in the 1 vs. 4 seeded game on Saturday afternoon after going 3-0 through round robin play. The Tops went through their lineup in the first trip to the plate, scoring five runs. Jordan Thomas opened the game with a home run before Taylor Sanders would connect for her first career homer for a three-run shot from the No. 8 slot.

IUPUI responded in the top of the second with a tally after a couple hits and would strike for two more runs in the top of the third to pull back within 5-3.

Back on offense, WKU would get all three runs back in the bottom of the third as Thomas and Sanders each went deep again.

Smith was the last Hilltopper to connect for two home runs in a single game, which occurred on April 23, 2019 at Middle Tennessee. She was also the last player to record back-to-back home runs, coming on Feb. 9, 2019 against Tennessee State.

The Jaguars added one more run in the top of the fourth with an RBI double in their final hit of the game.

WKU plated four more runs in the bottom of the fifth, culminating in a run-rule walk off double from Sullivan to score Davis for the win. Hage, Sanders, Taylor Davis and Sullivan would all record hits in the frame as WKU sent seven batters to the plate.

Sullivan and Sanders each finished with three-hit games while Hage and Thomas both registered two hits. Sanders and Thomas would each record four RBI in the win.

WKU's four home runs are the most in a game this season.

Sullivan relieved Shelby Nunn in the circle and earned the win after working 2.1 innings and striking out five. Sullivan improved to 3-1 on the season with the victory.

*Records will be checked to find the last time two players recorded two homeruns in the same game.*

NEXT GAME:

WKU Softball will close Hilltopper Spring Fling play with an appearance in Sunday's championship contest. First pitch against Illinois State is slated for 1:30 p.m. CT following the consolation game.

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