Last time the Hilltoppers visited Miami, the squad returned to The Hill with a 3-0 sweep during the 2019 campaign. FIU leads the all-time series 30-34 while the matchup sits at 16-16 from Miami.
Common opponents between the Panthers and Hilltoppers this year are Kentucky and Charlotte. FIU fell to the No. 12-ranked Wildcats 6-5, a squad that WKU downed 2-1 in nine innings. Charlotte won the four-game series against FIU, 3-1, while the Hilltoppers split the series with the 49ers.
FIU is 4-8 in Conference USA play and currently sits at sixth in the East division while WKU is 3-5 in league play and is fifth.
GAMES 32-35
WKU (20-11; 3-5 C-USA) at FIU (12-21; 4-8 C-USA)
April 30 – May 2, 2021
Friday – 4 p.m. CT | Stream | Stats
Saturday – Noon and 2 p.m. | Stream | Stats
Sunday – 11 a.m. | Stream | Stats
Felsberg Field at the FIU Softball Stadium | Miami, Fla.
TOP STORYLINES
- WKU Softball has faced off against FIU 64 times in program history and trails 30-34 in the all-time series. The Tops are 16-16 in games against the Panthers played in Miami and 5-5 across the last 10 meetings.
- FIU enters the series with a 4-8 Conference USA record and a 12-21 overall record. The Hilltoppers enter their third C-USA series with a 20-11 overall record and 3-5 reading in league games. The Tops have unfortunately had 14 games canceled or postponed due to COVID-19 contact tracing by an opponent or inclement weather.
- WKU's April 1-3 series at Marshall was postponed due to a positive COVID-19 case in the Hilltoppers' Tier 1 testing group and subsequent contract tracing. A make-up date has not been set yet.
- In the opening game of WKU's most recent series against Charlotte, redshirt-senior Paige Carter appeared in her 200th game as a Hilltopper and now sits at 204.
- WKU received votes in the NCAA Top 25 Poll for four weeks following its upset of No. 7 Kentucky.
- This season, Kelsey Aikey added both her 500th career strikeout and 17th career save. She is just the fourth Hilltopper to reach the 500-strikeout milestone. After six strikeouts against Belmont and seven more against Charlotte, she now stands at 553 strikeouts, just 10 away from breaking the all-time record for most career strikeouts in WKU history, currently held by Emily Rousseau (2012-14). Aikey has owned the program's save record since her junior season and ranks second among all active NCAA Division I pitchers with 17 saves.
- Former Hilltopper Softball player Larissa Franklin is a member of the Canadian National Team faced off against her former squad in the exhibition game earlier this season. Franklin is one of four current or former members of WKU Softball to be featured on the WKU Athletics' Beyond the Hill podcast.
- In early February, redshirt-junior catcher Kendall Smith was named 1-of-30 Senior CLASS Award Candidates. She joins fellow Hilltopper Aikey as two of the three selections in program history.
- WKU Softball was predicted to win the Conference USA East Division by league coaches, receiving eight first place votes. Individually, pitcher Aikey and Shelby Nunn, along with Smith were named to the Preseason All-Conference Team.
How to Follow the Hilltoppers: For complete information on WKU Softball, follow the team on Twitter at @WKUSoftball, Instagram @WKU_Softball and Facebook.
