"As a team, we responded well when we were challenge today," stated head coach Amy Tudor. "Sullivan threw and hit well for us. In the sixth inning, TD started us and Sully tied it with a huge home run and all the rest of our bats followed. Aikey was able to close the door for us."
WKU Softball picked up its second come-from-behind win of the season after trailing 2-0 entering the bottom of the sixth. The Hilltoppers would respond with nine unanswered runs as WKU would make 14 plate appearances in the frame. Five players would make two appearances in the frame with Taylor Davis and Kennedy Sullivan each registering a pair of hits. Davis connected for two base hits while Sullivan recorded a two-run home run in her first trip, which tied the game at 2-2, before adding a single in her second trip.
The Hilltoppers would finish the sixth with nine runs on nine hits while drawing a pair of walks.
Sullivan drew the start in the circle, where she worked 4.0 scoreless innings while allowing just three hits and five while and striking out four.
When Kelsey Aikey took over in the circle in the top of the fifth, the game was scoreless putting the decision in her hands. The redshirt-senior would throw 3.0 frames of two-run ball while striking out four Valpo batters and allowing just one free base. Aikey earned the win to move to 3-4 on the season.
COMING UP
- Wednesday, March 17 | #9/10 Kentucky – 6 p.m. CT – Bowling Green, Ky.
NOTES & RECORDS
- Head Coach Amy Tudor is in her 17th season as a head coach – eighth on The Hill – this season with a career record of 429-352-2.
- WKU is now 2-0 against Valpo on the 2021 season and 5-0 all-time against them.
- Taylor Davis turned in a 3-for-4 game, marking her first 3-hit outing of the season and the second of her career. She finished the weekend 5-for-8 at the plate.
- Taylor Sanders finished 2-for-4 at the plate – her third multi-hit game of the year.
- Kennedy Sullivan connected for her fourth home run of the season as she tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth. She would finish 2-for-4 at the plate for her fifth multi-hit game of the season. Sullivan's 3-RBI outing was her first of the sort this season and second of her career.
- Maddie Bowlds drove in two runs in today's win over Valpo, marking her sixth career multi-RBI contest.
- Pitcher Kelsey Aikey is now up to 504 career strikeouts, becoming the fourth-ever Hilltopper to achieve the milestone. The mark ranks fourth on the Tops' all-time list, 18 punchouts away from taking over third, 26 away from second and 59 away from owning the Hilltopper career strikeouts record.
- WKU's come-from-behind win over Valpo was their second of the season. The Tops also won in comeback fashion against Ball State on March 5.
- The Hilltoppers have faced three Power 5 squads this season – Mississippi State twice and now Louisville – but are 0-3 against them.
- In the most recent RPI rankings (March 2020), WKU came in at No. 31 while Louisville is at 62 and Valpo ranks 170th.
How to Follow the Hilltoppers: For complete information on WKU Softball, follow the team on Twitter at @WKUSoftball, Instagram @WKU_Softball and Facebook /WKUSoftball
