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"I am very proud of the team's response after falling in game one," began head coach Amy Tudor. "We came out with a purpose and played all parts of the game well. Sullivan held down the circle while a lot of players, including her, provided plenty of run support."
"Additionally, Ridge stepped up huge for us in game two today, both offensively and defensively and Aikey came in and closed game two with a purpose."
WKU improved to 9-2 with the day's split and earned a rematch with Mississippi State in the weekend's championship game. The contest will be streamed on SECN+.
WKU (8-1) vs. MISSISSIPPI STATE (10-5)
#18 MSST 10, WKU 0 – Five Innings
WKU Softball would have a chance to strike first at No. 18 Mississippi State after Kennedy Sullivan connected to a high-fly double in the top of the opening frame before Kendall Smith followed with a walk. The pair of Hilltoppers would end up being two of the nine WKU runners stranded on base in the run-rule shorted game.
Mississippi State broke through for a run in the bottom of the first before putting up eight more in the second, followed by its final tally in the third.
The Hilltoppers would end up stranding runners on board in all five trips to the plate.
Jordan Thomas and Sullivan would each record doubles for the Red and White while TJ Webster and Princess Valencia added the Tops' other two hits.
Valencia's knock through the right side of the Bulldog infield in the top of the fifth marked her first hit of the season and sixth of her career as a Hilltopper.
Mississippi State is the first team to hold the high-powered Hilltopper offense scoreless this season. The prior shutout of WKU came in the 2019 C-USA Tournament when MTSU claimed a 1-0 decision.
WKU (9-2) vs. BALL STATE (3-5)
WKU 8, BALL 1
Going 2-1 in round robin play earned the Hilltoppers the No. 2 seed as Bulldog Invitational bracket play began Saturday afternoon. As the home team against No. 2 seed Ball State, WKU Softball responded to its first loss in two weeks with an 8-1 win over the Cardinals.
WKU struck first in the bottom of the bottom of the second on a Maddie Bowlds single back up the middle that scored Jordan Ridge. Ball State would respond in its next trip to the plate with a run to knot things up at 1-1.
In the Tops' half of the third, WKU would send 10 batters to the plate and put up five runs for a 7-1 advantage.
Webster opened the frame with a walk, followed by a single from Paige Carter. Two batters later, Sullivan connected for an RBI single, Smith sent an RBI double down the line and Ridge cleared the bags with the first home run of her Hilltopper career. The three-run shot rounded out WKU's scoring in the frame.
WKU went on to add two more tallies in the bottom of the fourth as Sullivan and Brylee Hage turned in RBI singles to left field.
Sullivan went 2-for-4 at the plate with two runs scored to go along with her win in the circle. The redshirt-sophomore worked 6+ innings of four-hit ball while allowing one earned run, three walks and five strikeouts.
Kelsey Aikey closed out the game, needing just seven pitches for three outs. On the second pitch she threw, the Hilltoppers turned a double play before she forced an infield pop up to close things out.
At the plate, Hilltopper batters drew a season-high seven walks in the win.
COMING UP
Bulldog Invitational | Nusz Park | Starkville, Miss.
- Sunday, March 7 – Championship vs. No. 18 Mississippi State – 1:30 p.m.
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 427-350-2.
- WKU is now 3-4 all-time against Mississippi State with Saturday's loss at Nusz Park.
- The last time WKU was run-ruled before Saturday's loss to MSU was April 27, 2019 against Louisiana Tech in games hosted at ULM's field.
- The Bulldogs were featured in 3-of-4 NCAA Softball Rankings, coming in as high as No. 18 in the Softball America Poll. MSU is receiving votes in the two "official" polls (NFCA Coaches and USA Softball) and not rated in D1Softball's poll (no receiving votes listed).
- Saturday's victory over Ball State moves the Hilltoppers ahead in the all-time series 6-3. This marked the second neutral site game between the sides in program history – both coming this weekend at the Bulldog Invitational.
- A defensive substitution in the day's first game, Ridge drew her first start of the season in the Tops' game against Ball State. She would connect for the first home run of her career in the bottom of the third.
- In the most recent RPI rankings (March 2020), WKU came in at No. 31 while Alcorn State is 274, Ball State comes in at 92 and Mississippi State owns the No. 20 spot.
How to Follow the Hilltoppers: For complete information on WKU Softball, follow the team on Twitter at @WKUSoftball, Instagram @WKU_Softball and Facebook /WKUSoftball
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