Sanders also went yard for a third inning home run, the Hilltoppers' 16th on the season. WKU picked up 13 hits at the NM State Softball Complex with four batters having multi-hit afternoons, including Morgan Sharpe who was 3-for-4 in the batter's box.
WKU 11, NM STATE 0 [5inn.]
The Hilltoppers got going in the opening frame as Brylee Hage and Morgan Sharpe would reach base from a drawn walk and single into left field. With two outs on the board, Taylor Sanders went yard on a full count to left-center field to mark her eighth home run this season.
After Sanders picked up the program record, Kelsey Schmidt dug a ball out over the left field fence for a back-to-back solo home run and brought the score to a 4-0 WKU game after one inning.
After a quiet second inning on both sides, TJ Webster notched a single up the middle in the top of the third before Sanders hit her second home run of the day out into left field.
A 6-0 ballgame, Sophie Weber doubled into right-center and Annie White earned her first career hit from a single up the middle to bring runners on base for the Red and White. Third in the lineup, Sharpe would collect her second hit of the day: a two-run double into left field in the bottom of the fourth frame.
The Hilltoppers wrapped up the runs in the top of five. White added her first career RBI to the stat sheet after a sacrifice-fly into left field before Sharpe would cap off her three-hit day with a two-run single up the middle, totaling 11 runs for the Tops.
Katie Gardner pitched her third complete game shutout of the season. She worked through all five innings, giving up no runs off of three hits and only one walk. The right-hander retired five at the plate, now totaling 26 strikeouts in the last five appearances.
TOP STORYLINES
- WKU continues the stronghold in the all-time series, leading 17-9 over NM State.
- Taylor Sanders broke the WKU Softball program record with her three-run shot in the first inning, capped at 39 career homers. Sanders picked up an insurance home run with a two-run hit in the third frame, bringing her career total to 40. Sanders is 24 RBIs away from tying the program's career RBIs record.
- Four Hilltoppers had multi-hit games on the afternoon, including Morgan Sharpe who reaches a six-game hitting streak and her career 11th multi-hit game. Sharpe also acquired a career-high four RBIs.
- Freshman Annie White earned her first career start at first base in the lineup, she also earned her first hit and career RBI during the ballgame.
- Still atop of the Hilltopper's stat sheet, Morgan Sharpe is currently batting .500 at the plate and leading Conference USA, while also owning 38 hits on the year. Taylor Sanders holds 26 RBIs to for second in CUSA.
- As a whole, WKU is leading the league with a .324 batting average.
- With her third complete game shutout of the season today, Gardner lowers her season ERA to 1.42 to lead the WKU pitching staff. She also has dealt 49 strikeouts at the plate.
- WKU is back in action at the WKU Softball Complex, Wednesday, March 13 as they host EKU at 6pm CT for a blackout game. The next series on deck will be when the Tops play host to FIU, March 15-17.
How to Follow Hilltopper Softball: For complete information on WKU Softball, follow the team on X at @WKUSoftball, Instagram @WKU_Softball, and Facebook/WKUSoftball.
