"I felt like we came out and gave ourselves a chance to win all four games," opened head coach Amy Tudor. "We had some big performances and stepped up in the right moments to get the two wins. The bright point is that we were capable of winning all four. I thought we did a really good job from game one to game two of making adjustments and keeping energy the entire game."
Sullivan also earned the complete-game win in the circle for the Red and White in game four as WKU improved to 19-11 on the season. The Hilltoppers now sit at 3-5 in Conference USA outings. Charlotte moved to 27-12 overall and 11-5 in league play.
Jordan Ridge and Kendall Smith each homered on the day as well. Sullivan closed out the series with a team-best .357 batting average (5-for-14) to go along with a 1.83 collective ERA.
GAME 3: CHARLOTTE 3, WKU 2
After Charlotte drew a walk to lead off the Sunday doubleheader, Shelby Nunn responded with a strikeout while catcher Kendall Smith connected with TJ Webster to throw out the runner attempting to steal for the double play.
Charlotte would break into the scoring column first, with two away in the top of the 49ers picked up a double followed by a home run for a 2-0 lead.
Kennedy Sullivan led off the bottom of the fourth with a base hit down the left line before Kendall Smith stepped into the box and sent the second pitch she saw out of the park to knot the game at 2-2. Smith is up to four home runs on the season.
The 49ers would break the tie in the top of the sixth. Charlotte struck for a leadoff double before the next two batters would line out. UNCC would strike with a base hit that allowed the runner to score from second for the final 3-2 margin.
Nunn took the decision after 6.1 innings of work. She struck out two while allowing seven hits. Sullivan closed out the final two outs in relief, striking out one and allowing one hit.
GAME 4: WKU 6, CHARLOTTE 3
After a quick half inning to open game two, WKU's second batter of the game, Ridge, struck for a solo home run for a 1-0 Hilltopper lead. Two batters later, Smith, Kennedy Foote and Taylor Davis drew consecutive walks to load the bases. From there, Brylee Hage would reach on a fielder's choice that included an error by the 49ers' third baseman resulting in a 2-0 WKU lead.
Sixteen of WKU's next 18 batters would be retired by the Charlotte pitching staff. Maddie Bowlds was the lone Hilltopper to connect for a hit in the span while Foote added a walk.
On the flip side, Charlotte would take advantage of a pair of WKU errors in the top of the third to tie the score at 2-2 where it would stand until the seventh inning.
Charlotte would take a 3-2 lead in the top of the seventh after a leadoff walk allowed the go-ahead run on base before a sacrifice fly would bring the baserunner home.
In the bottom of the seventh, Bowlds led things off with her second hit of the game – a double – before Webster moved her to third with a sacrifice bunt. From there, Carter drew a walk on a pitch that got away from the Charlotte catcher, which allowed Bowlds to score and tie the game. Ridge followed with a single before Sullivan stepped into the box and sent the 0-2 pitch out of the park for a three-run home run.
Sullivan is up to seven home runs on the season while the Hilltoppers have hit a collective 33 through 30 games.
The last time WKU hit a walk-off home run in regulation or extra innings (not a run-rule) was May 7, 2016 as Brooke Holloway connected for one against Marshall. Sullivan owns two of the Hilltoppers' five walk-off knocks this season.
Trailing 3-2, WKU also secured its seventh come-from-behind victory with the series finale win over the 49ers.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
- Wednesday, April 28 – 6 p.m. CT vs. Tennessee Tech | Bowling Green, Ky.
- Friday, April 30 - 4 p.m. CT at FIU | Miami, Fla.
- Saturday, May 1 – Noon & 2 p.m. at FIU | Miami, Fla.
- Sunday, May 2 – 11 a.m. CT at FIU | Miami, Fla.
How to Follow the Hilltoppers: For complete information on WKU Softball, follow the team on Twitter at @WKUSoftball, Instagram @WKU_Softball and Facebook /WKUSoftball
