| Louisville // April 19 // WKU Softball Complex | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game 41: Louisville | Wednesday, Apr. 19 | 6 p.m. CT | HSSN on Facebook | Livestats | ||||
| Promotions | WHITE OUT - T-shirt giveaway to first 75 fans White pom pom giveaway to first 75 fans Kelsey Schmidt Trading Card giveaway to the first 50 fans |
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| Game Notes | WKU | Louisville | ||||
| Series History | Louisville Leads, 19-3; Full History | ||||
| Social Media | @WKUSoftball  | @WKU Softball  | Facebook  | YouTube  | Tik Tok |
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BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – In a five-game homestand in six days on The Hill, the Hilltoppers are back in Bowling Green to kick off an in-state match up with the Louisville Cardinals tomorrow evening at 6 p.m. CT.
As the Cards are posting 10-4 in the ACC, the last meeting between WKU and Louisville was a 0-3 loss for the Tops up north in Louisville. The Cardinals last came to Bowling Green in 2019 with a 7-2 final in the Cards' favor. Louisville holds the all-time series at 19-3.
Another weekend run in Conference USA action, the Hilltoppers went one-for-three in the series at Middle Tennessee, ending a six-game road test. In Friday evening's series opener with the Blue Raiders, the Tops came back from a 2-3 deficit after six, only to come by a bases-loaded Taylor Davis two-run single into left field to earn the late comeback and open the three games. WKU fell short in the final two match ups.
Streaming will be available on the Hilltopper Sports Satellite Network via Facebook Live for the Wednesday contests. "Voice of the Lady Toppers" Brad Klein 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. Louisville
Watch: HSSN | Livestats
Wednesday, Apr. 19, 2023 | 6 p.m. CT
TOP STORYLINES
- A longtime in-state rival, Louisville leads the all-time series, 19-3. The last match up between the Tops and Cardinals was 2021 featuring a 7-2 Louisville victory in the northern city. WKU won the first meeting ever between the two, back in 2001 at the program's inception. The last win over the Cards for the Red and White was in 2007 in Bowling Green.
- Head coach Amy Tudor earned her career 500-win mark in the Hilltoppers 9-0 shutout over Evansville. She is 512 all-time and owns 295 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 (146), while Faith Hegh is second in the league in batting average (.397) and Taylor Sanders is third with home runs (9) and first in RBIs per game (1.18). As a unit, the Hilltoppers are second in conference in batting average (.299).
- Faith Hegh leads the nation in doubles this season with 17. She is two doubles away from tying the single-season record in program history.
- WKU is set to host five games in six days on The Hill, starting with the Wednesday midweek with Louisville. The Tops will see Florida Atlantic for a C-USA three-game series before hosting the final midweek of the season with No. 12 Arkansas Monday night.
- On the stat sheet, Faith Hegh is leading the tops with a .397 batting average off of 48 hits and 30 RBIs, while Taylor Davis is collecting 42 hits on the season and tied with TJ Webster with 16 stolen bases a piece. 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 29 appearances.
- As a team, the Hilltoppers are holding with a .299 batting average, 308 hits off the bats with 192 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.
