Last time the Hilltoppers squared off with the Owls, the squad claimed a 3-0 sweep during the 2019 campaign. FAU leads the all-time series 25-18 while the matchup sits at 12-9 in favor of the Owls in Bowling Green.
Common opponents between the Panthers and Hilltoppers this year are Kentucky and FIU, Charlotte and Middle Tennessee from the C-USA East Division. FAU fell to Kentucky twice, a squad that WKU downed 2-1 in nine innings. FIU claimed 3-of-5 decisions over Florida Atlantic while WKU topped the Panthers 3-1. Charlotte won the four-game series against FAU, 3-1, while the Hilltoppers split the series with the 49ers. Florida Atlantic split the series against MTSU, which the Hilltoppers dropped that decision.
Florida Atlantic is 6-10 in Conference USA play and currently sits at fifth in the East division while WKU is 6-6 in league play and is fourth.
WKU plans to hold its Senior Day ceremony prior to Saturday's game.
GAMES 36-39
WKU (23-12; 6-6 C-USA) host Florida Atlantic (12-31; 6-10 C-USA)
May 7 – 9, 2021
Friday – 3 & 5:30 p.m. CT | Stats
Saturday – TBD | Senior Day | Stats
Sunday – Senior Day | Stats
WKU Softball Complex | Bowling Green, Ky.
TOP STORYLINES
- WKU Softball has faced off against Florida Atlantic 43 times in program history and trails 18-25 in the all-time series. The Tops are 9-12 in games against the Owls played in Bowling Green and 4-6 across the last 10 meetings.
- FAU enters the series with a 6-10 Conference USA record and a 12-31 overall record. The Hilltoppers enter their fourth C-USA series with a 23-12 overall record and 6-6 reading in league games. The Tops have unfortunately had 16 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 was unable to be determined.
- The Hilltoppers will honor three seniors prior to Saturday's game as Kelsey Aikey and Paige Carter exhaust their eligibility and Morgan McElroy returns to The Hill after choosing to pursue her career following the cancellation of the 2020 season.
- In the opening game of WKU's most series against Charlotte, redshirt-senior Paige Carter appeared in her 200th game as a Hilltopper and now sits at 208.
- 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.
