Fifth-year Taylor Sanders racked up her sixth home run of the season, just the third over the weekend, while freshman Morgan Sharpe went 3-for-4 at the plate.
SAINT LOUIS 10, WKU 7
Saint Louis got ahead of the Tops in the opening frame, scoring their first run off of a Hilltopper fielding error. The Billikens then shot a three-run home run into left field off of starter Katie Gardner to wrap up the inning, 4-0.
In the bottom half of the frame, Morgan Sharpe made her way onto the bag with a double into left-center. Holding the three-spot of the lineup, Taylor Sanders notched her 37th career home run into left field to bring the Hilltoppers within two runs after the first inning.
Answering back to the Hilltopper home run, Saint Louis scored three more runs off of a shot over the left field wall to take the largest lead of the ballgame with five runs ahead of the Tops.
The Hilltopper offense didn't back down at the plate though, a Randi Drinnon RBI single up the middle in the third frame, followed up by a sacrifice fly from Sharpe in the fourth would wedge the gap between the Hilltoppers and Billikens by only two runs.
In the top of the sixth inning, Saint Louis would find home plate again as a single through the left side scored one, but the top-notch Red and White defense would end the top half of the inning with a throw down from left field to home plate, preventing another run.
WKU would strike back in the bottom half and brought the score within one after Cheyanne Sales drew a bases-loaded walk and Drinnon picked up her third RBI of the afternoon with a sacrifice-fly into deep center field.
Despite a mighty comeback for the Tops, the visitors would eventually hit their go-ahead shot on a two-run homer in left field in the top of the seventh inning, solidifying the game.
Katie Gardner got the start in the circle, but gave up three earned runs off of four hits and two walks before being relived by Rylan Smith. Smith went 5.1 innings and dished six strikeouts.
TOP STORYLINES
- The Tops and the Billikens are now 4-1 in the all-time series with WKU continuing the lead.
- Fifth-year Taylor Sanders picked up her 37th career home run in the second inning, her sixth of the season.
- Morgan Sharpe went 3-for-4 at the plate today, while Randi Drinnon tied her career best three RBIs.
- Right-hander Rylan Smith tied her career-high six strikeouts against the Billikens offense, as she saw action in the circle for 5.1 innings.
- Smith now leads the WKU pitching staff with a 2.35 ERA and 35 strikeouts with a 4-1 record on the year.
- Morgan Sharpe is leading the Hilltoppers and CUSA with a .551 batting average, while garnering 27 hits on the season. Taylor Sanders owns six home runs and a .911 slugging percentage on the year.
How to Follow Hilltopper Softball: For complete information on WKU Softball, follow the team on X at @WKUSoftball, Instagram @WKU_Softball, and Facebook/WKUSoftball.
