GAME 1 – MINNESOTA 10, WKU 2
Katie Gardner opened up the defense in the circle on Opening Day, retiring three of four in the top of the first, before a Gopher triple in the second carried through momentum and Minnesota earned four on the board.
Now in to pitch, freshman right-hander Maddy Wood would go 1,2,3 on the scoresheet and earn her first career strikeout with the Gophers' Maddy Ehlke swinging and missing.
After Taylor Davis advanced to second on a Minnesota throwing error, right fielder Faith Hegh stepped into a double through the right side, scoring Davis and putting the Tops on the board in the bottom of the third.
The Gophers picked up another four runs in the top of four as redshirt-junior Kelsey Houchens came in for relief.
Shortstop TJ Webster got things rolling for WKU in the bottom of five, doubling into right-center field just before Brylee Hage's three-for-three day ended with a single down the left field line sent Webster to third. Davis would come up and groundout to the pitcher, not before Webster put on the gas and collect another run for the Red and White at home plate.
A back-to-back triple and double off Minnesota bats in the top of the sixth inning would collect two more runs and eventually end the game in the morning.
GAME 2 – WKU 5, BUTLER 0 (TOP 4TH INNING)
The Hilltoppers saw action on the bases as the Bulldogs walked the first two Tops at the top of the second inning. Junior first baseman Kelsey Schmidt would be waved home as freshman right fielder Addy Edgmon picked up her first career hit and RBI with a double down the left side.
In the Tops' next trip to the plate, Davis led off the frame with a single and stolen base before Schmidt and Taylor Sanders would hit back-to-back singles. Catcher Randi Drinnon got in at the plate, notching her own single towards second base and Edgmon earning her second hit of the day up the middle giving WKU the 4-0 lead.
Prior to the weather in the top of the fourth, TJ Webster turned on the speed and reached first base on a bunt, later steeling second. Hage would come at bat, sending her home on a single into left field giving WKU the 5-0 edge.
Katie Gardner worked the game before the weather halted. She faced 12 batters, only giving up three hits with two strikeouts from the circle.
GAMES 3-5
WKU vs. Michigan (1)
Field 1
Watch: FloSoftball | Livestats
Saturday, Feb. 11, 2022 | 10 a.m. CT
WKU vs. Michigan (2)
Field 1
Watch: FloSoftball | Livestats
Saturday, Feb. 11, 2022 | 12:30 p.m. CT
WKU vs. Minnesota
Field 1
Watch: FloSoftball | Livestats
Sunday, Feb. 12, 2022 | 8 a.m. CT
TOP STORYLINES
- WKU Softball has faced off against Minnesota one other time in program history, with the series lead going to the Gophers, 0-2.
- The Hilltoppers will face six Power Five teams in seven games this season, with Minnesota and Michigan being the first two in 2023, both from the Big Ten.
- Head Coach Amy Tudor owns a 17-2 record in season-openers across her career. Tudor enters her 19th season as a head coach – tenth on The Hill – and owns a 489-378-2 career coaching record.
- WKU Softball is 15-9 in all-time season openers and 8-2 with head coach Amy Tudor at the helm.
- The Hilltoppers ended the 2022 season collectively with 38 home runs, 240 RBI, and a .303 batting average from the dugout.
- In the Conference USA Preseason Coaches Poll, the Hilltoppers were predicted to finish second in C-USA, while fifth-year outfielder Taylor Davis was named to the Preseason All-Conference team.
How to Follow Hilltopper Softball: For complete information on WKU Softball, follow the team on Twitter at @WKUSoftball, Instagram @WKU_Softball and Facebook /WKUSoftball.
