A strong pitcher's dual in the circle in both games, Katie Gardner picked up her second complete game shutout against Dayton, earning seven strikeouts at the plate. Rylan Smith pitched her first career game against Northern Illinois, while also dealing seven strikeouts from the circle.
GAME 1: WKU 2, DAYTON 0
Sophie Weber got things going on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second with an opposite field solo home run on the 1-1 count, for her second homer of the season, giving the Tops a 1-0 edge.
The insurance run for the Tops was scored in the sixth inning after Randi Drinnon continued a 17-game reached base streak with a double up the middle. Kendle White came in to pinch run for the catcher before Cheyanne Sales knocked the first pitch thrown into left field, good for an RBI single to send White across the plate.
Katie Gardner earned her fourth win of the season with a shutout in seven innings of work, only giving up three hits to seven strikeouts, while retiring the final 12 batters of the ballgame in a row.
GAME 2: WKU 5, DAYTON 1
A quiet ballgame with only one hit from each team until the bottom of the fifth inning, the Tops garnered a run on an attempted Morgan Sharpe squeeze bunt, sending TJ Webster across home plate safely, and Sharpe beating the throw at first base.
WKU carried out four more runs in their final at-bats, starting with Becca Campbell scoring on a Huskies throwing error and Kendle White reaching home plate on an attempted fielder's choice back to the pitcher from Jessica Bush.
After a pitching change in the circle for NIU, the Red and White scored two more runs off of passed balls for a 5-0 lead after six.
Northern Illinois picked up its lone run from a double into left field, sending a Husky runner scoring from an outfield error, unearned.
Rylan Smith was dealing in the circle, pitching the first full seven inning ballgame of her collegiate career. She only gave up three hits, while NIU drew two walks, but she came back for her career single-game high of seven strikeouts at the plate for her fifth win on the season.
TOP STORYLINES
- The Tops stay perfect against Dayton, 8-0 in the all-time series. Since meeting for the first time, WKU is 1-0 against NIU.
- TJ Webster hit .400 in the batter's box on the day, picking up two hits including a double.
- After a second-inning opposite field hit, Sophie Weber picked up her ninth home run of her career against Dayton.
- Still atop of the Hilltopper's stat sheet, Morgan Sharpe is currently batting .508 at the plate, while Taylor Sanders is slugging .764.
- Both leaders of the WKU pitching staff, Katie Gardner boasts a 2.11 ERA, while Rylan Smith owns 42 strikeouts on the season.
How to Follow Hilltopper Softball: For complete information on WKU Softball, follow the team on X at @WKUSoftball, Instagram @WKU_Softball, and Facebook/WKUSoftball.
