The Hilltoppers split all six hits on the board among six different players, both TJ Webster and Faith Hegh going .500 on the afternoon with a hit and a walk a piece. After recording her first career hit and RBI last night, freshman Kaytlan Kemp got her first career start for the Red and White, taking the field at second base, while recording a hit at the plate.
WKU 6, ILLINOIS STATE 1
Taking a heavy lead early in the first inning, WKU got on base and runners in scoring position the whole frame. A wild pitch from Illinois State's right-hander got bases-loaded advancing and center fielder Brylee Hage moving across the plate.
Right fielder Faith Hegh got a piece of the next ball to her, a single through the right side earned her an RBI and a 2-0 ballgame from Taylor Davis hitting home. Kelsey Schmidt would later single to the same spot, earning the RBI from Taylor Sanders.
The final two runs scored from the Hilltoppers in the first frame were fast base running from third. Faith Hegh scored on a throw-down error from the Redbirds as Kelsey Schmidt successfully stole second base, and the Hilltoppers implemented a double steal with Kaytlan Kemp taking second and Schmidt heading home, closing out a 5-0 lead and batting through the WKU order.
The lone run for ISU came out after a sacrifice fly out into right field, sending the Redbirds' six-spot hitter tagging for home in the top of the fourth.
The Tops tagged on another insurance run in the bottom of the fifth inning: a fielding error on the Redbirds' shortstop led Schmidt to second base and pinch runner Anniston Bray to home plate.
Redshirt-sophomore Kelsie Houchens worked her way in the circle through 4.1 innings, giving up one run off of five hits with a strikeout. Katie Gardner closed out the Sunday matinée in Bowling Green, recording just a walk in 10 batters faced in Bowling Green.
The Hilltoppers are back hosting their second tournament of the season, the Hilltopper Spring Fling, March 3-5, at the WKU Softball Complex.
TOP STORYLINES
- WKU Softball now holds the upper hand in an 8-6 record over Illinois State.
- Last Hilltopper Classic, the Hilltoppers' swept every opponent, run-ruling Central Michigan and Bellarmine in Bowling Green. WKU was 4-1 over the weekend.
- Head coach Amy Tudor is two wins away from her career 500-win mark. She owns 281 of those wins as the head coach at WKU.
- The Hilltoppers stay at home next weekend, WKU will host the annual Hilltopper Spring Fling Tournament at the WKU Softball Complex.
- On the stat sheet, TJ Webster is now leading the Tops with a .425 batting average off of 17 hits. Brylee Hage owns 20 hits on the season, while Taylor Sanders notches 13 RBIs and three home runs for 2023.
- 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.
