In the circle, Katie Gardner picked up 10 strikeouts in the dirt, pitching a complete seven innings against Delaware, while Kelsie Houchens got the go for the second game against ETSU, collectively earning two k's along with Luna Curran and Maddy Wood in relief.
On offense, the Hilltoppers drew in 19 hits, with 12 runs at home plate the whole day, only striking out four times collectively as a team.
WKU 6, DELAWARE 2
The Hilltoppers got the bats moving at the top of the first. Brylee Hage made her way to first base after a full-count single into right field, followed by a walk on Taylor Davis. Taylor Sanders, in the three-spot, hit the Hilltoppers' first home run of the season – a shot into left field on a full count.
With senior right-hander, Katie Gardner in the circle, the Blue Hens pulled off a two-run RBI in with their cleanup hitter, making the game a 5-2 Tops match. With the rocket arm of Brylee Hage in center field, she assisted the final out of the inning catching the runner advancing from third to home plate.
Already two-for-two in the morning, catcher Randi Drinnon drove in her fourth RBI of the season with a single up the middle at the top of the second.
The Hilltoppers narrowly edged the Blue Hens in the top of the fifth inning with bases loaded. Drinnon got walked second up to bat, first baseman Kelsey Schmidt shot a single down to third base, while designated hitter Faith Hegh hit a single up to the pitcher.
From the circle, senior Katie Gardner pitched her second complete game of the season, only letting up two runs off of seven hits, while collecting 10 strikeouts and three walks.
WKU 6, EAST TENNESSEE STATE 1
Western Kentucky reached the board in the top of the second after Kennedy Foote took a sacrifice-fly into foul territory on the right side, scoring Faith Hegh.
In a big third inning for the Tops, Hegh took an RBI single through the right, scoring Sanders while Drinnon advanced home on a dead ball out of play after an East Tennessee error.
Hegh later headed home after Schmidt picked up her first hit of the game, and collecting her fourth RBI of the season.
WKU rounded out the board with a final two runs from Taylor Sanders in the fifth and seventh innings, featuring her second and third home runs of the day: both solo shots over the fence in left field.
Kelsie Houchens got her second start for the season. The Louisville native pitched the first three, only taking four hits and a walk before freshman Luna Curran came in for relief. Curran earned the win and finished up with four hits and a run including a strikeout, while Maddy Wood saw action and recorded a strikeout in the circle.
The Carolina Classic: Games 3-5
WKU (2-4) vs. George Washington (2-1)
Livestats
Saturday, Feb. 18, 2022 | 4:30 p.m. CT
WKU vs. Campbell (3-2)
Livestats
Sunday, Feb. 19, 2022 | 11:30 a.m. CT
WKU at South Carolina (4-1)
Watch: SECN+ | Livestats
Sunday, Feb. 19, 2022 | 2 p.m. CT
TOP STORYLINES
- WKU Softball now owns the all-time record over Delaware, 1-0, after their first meeting today. They hold steady 2-1 in the series against ETSU.
- The Hilltoppers will face six Power Five teams in seven games this season. The Tops saw Minnesota and Michigan last weekend, South Carolina will be the first from the SEC.
- Head coach Amy Tudor is eight wins away from her career 500-win mark. She owns 275 of those wins as the head coach at WKU.
- On the stat sheet, Randi Drinnon is leading the tops with a .500 batting average, while Brylee Hage collects 11 hits on the season and Taylor Davis notches 17 RBIs for 2023.
- Taylor Sanders was the first Hilltopper to record a home run for the Red and White this season. The senior third baseman took a three-run shot into left in the Delaware game, before hitting a solo HR in the East Tennessee match up.
- 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.
