| Belmont // March 29 // WKU Softball Complex | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game 30: Belmont | Wednesday, Mar. 29 | 6 p.m. CT | HSSN on Facebook | Livestats | ||||
| Promotions | Faith and Family Night/Softball and Small Groups / Decades Night Kasia Parks Trading Card Giveaway #VsCancer Game - DONATE |
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| Game Notes | WKU | Belmont | ||||
| Series History | WKU Leads, 31-1; Full History | ||||
| Social Media | @WKUSoftball  | @WKU Softball  | Facebook  | YouTube  | Tik Tok |
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BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – The Hilltoppers are back to host their first midweek of the season on The Hill, playing host to the Belmont Bruins Wednesday evening at 6 p.m. CT. The midweek contest comes as the Tops swept the preseason favorite, North Texas, in a three-game series at the WKU Softball complex last weekend.
The last meeting between the Tops and Bruins was a 7-2 victory for WKU at the WKU Softball Complex. With a close regional distance between the two foes, the Tops hold a large upper hand in the all-time series, 31-1.
Opening Conference USA action in front of the home crowd, the Tops swept North Texas in all three games this past weekend. In the first and third games of the series, right-hander Katie Gardner worked with a 1.29 ERA to hold the Mean Green to only three runs, with a stellar eight strikeout and zero walk production from the circle on Sunday. The 22-run production over the weekend from the Hilltopper offense included a two-home run ballgame for Taylor Sanders at the plate. She collected six RBIs in game three for her third multi-home run game of the season.
Streaming will be available on the Hilltopper Sports Satellite Network via Facebook Live for the Wednesday contests. Hilltopper letterwinner and HAF Executive Director Kat (Downing) Smith will be on the call.
Due to the construction for the new WKU Soccer/Softball Complex, the south entrance via Creason Street is closed. Fans can enter and purchase tickets on the north end, down the sidewalk via the Creason lot in between left field and PS3. Concessions and restrooms will be open, but space is constrained due to construction fencing.
MIDWEEK SCHEDULE
Wednesday
WKU vs. Belmont
Watch: HSSN | Livestats
Wednesday, Mar. 29, 2023 | 6 p.m. CT
TOP STORYLINES
- A regional rival located in Nashville, Western Kentucky leads the all-time series, 31-1 with the sole Hilltopper loss coming in 2017. The last match up between the Tops and Bruins was 2021 featuring a 7-2 WKU victory.
- Head coach Amy Tudor earned her career 500-win mark in the Hilltoppers 9-0 shutout over Evansville. She is 509 all-time and owns 292 of those wins as the head coach at WKU.
- Now holding first place in the C-USA standings, pitcher Katie Gardner is ranked first in C-USA in strikeouts this season (105), while Faith Hegh is second in the league in batting average (.398) and Taylor Sanders is second with home runs (9) and first in RBIs per game (1.34). As a unit, the Hilltoppers are first in conference in fielding percentage (.978) and batting average (.318).
- After hosting and sweeping preseason favorite, North Texas to open Conference USA action on The Hill, the Hilltoppers are slated to host Charlotte over the weekend, followed by a Tuesday midweek against Indiana that was rescheduled last month.
- On the stat sheet, Faith Hegh is leading the tops with a .398 batting average, while Taylor Davis is collecting 36 hits on the season and 15 stolen bases. The Tops' Taylor Sanders holds 39 RBIs for 2023, while leading WKU with nine home runs. Senior Katie Gardner boasts a 3.66 ERA from the Hilltopper bullpen in 20 appearances.
- As a team, the Hilltoppers are holding with a .318 batting average, 250 hits off the bats with 165 runs scored so far this season.
- 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.
