After a three up, three down inning at the plate to open the game, WKU took the field as Savannah Fierke started the first game of her collegiate career. Southern Miss sent seven batters to the plate and would come away with a 3-0 lead. Fierke would pick up both of her strikeouts in the frame.
Katie Gardner would take over in the bottom of the third for Fierke and proceed to work the remainder of the game. After two scoreless innings with Gardner in the circle, Southern Miss added one more run to its tally for a 4-0 lead.
Heading into the top of the seventh, WKU had stranded eight runners on the bases – including four in scoring position. In the seventh, Kennedy Foote led the Hilltoppers off with a double down the rightfield line before moving to third on a base hit down the leftfield line by TJ Webster to roll over the lineup. Brylee Hage would reach on an RBI fielder's choice that saw everyone advance safely. Two batters later, Taylor Sanders flew out to centerfield on a sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to 4-2. Next up, Maddie Bowlds connected for her third hit – second double – of the game, scoring Hage to pull the Tops within one at 4-3.
Bowlds would ultimately end up stranded though as Southern Miss brought in Friday night's winning pitcher, who'd record a strikeout against the only Hilltopper she'd face in Saturday's game.
Bowlds (3), Foote and Webster would all finish with multi-hit games as WKU out-hit Southern Miss for the second time in as many days, 9-6.
Fierke would take the pitching loss, moving to 2-1 on the season. Gardner worked the final 4.0 innings of play, allowing three hits, one run and two walks while striking out five.
WKU is now 31-11 on the season and 13-7 in Conference USA play. Southern Miss improved to 29-19 with the win and is now 9-11 in league action.
TOP STORYLINES
- WKU leads the all-time series with Southern Miss 8-5 following Saturday's decision. USM leads 5-3 in games played in Hattiesburg.
- Coach Tudor is in her 18th season as a head coach – ninth on The Hill – and owns a 483-373-2 career coaching record.
- Maddie Bowlds went 3-for-4 at the plate, her third 3-hit game of the season and the 39th multi-hit outing of her career.
- Kennedy Foote struck for her third multi-hit game of the season and her career. TJ Webster added her eighth multi-hit game of 2022 and the 20th performance of such during her career.
- Freshman pitcher earned the first start of her career as a Hilltopper.
How to Follow Hilltopper Softball: For complete information on WKU Softball, follow the team on Twitter at @WKUSoftball, Instagram @WKU_Softball and Facebook /WKUSoftball.
