The Tops were steady in the circle: Rylan Smith now leads with nine wins on the year, pitching three strikeouts at the plate and Katie Gardner collected her first save of the season.
WKU 3, SAM HOUSTON 1
Sam Houston picked up their first home run in three games with a solo shot right down the middle, taking a quick 1-0 lead in the first frame.
The Tops answered back on the board as Cheyanne Sales hit an RBI-single with Brylee Hage and Taylor Sanders on base, who both picked up back-to-back singles. After Hage crossed the plate to tie the ballgame, Sanders and Sales attempted a double steal as Annie White was at the plate. Sales was caught stealing second base, but Sanders landed across home plate safely and brought the Hilltoppers the lead in the bottom half.
WKU and Sam Houston played a few quiet middle innings. Right-hander Rylan Smith and the Hilltopper defense shutout the Bearkats and even worked their way out of a bases-loaded jam in the third inning.
The final run was scored from the Red and White off of a wild pitch in the bottom of the fifth.
Smith pitched 4.0 innings, retiring three at the plate and giving up a run off of three hits to earn her ninth win of the season. Katie Gardner wrapped up the final three frames in the circle, striking out a pair and earning the save.
TOP STORYLINES
- Now after the second meeting ever between the Tops and Bearkats, WKU holds the series at 2-0.
- Brylee Hage was the lone Hilltopper with a multi-hit night at the plate.
- Cheyanne Sales earned the lone Hilltopper RBI of the game in the first inning.
- As a whole, WKU is leading Conference USA with a .324 batting average and .978 fielding rate.
- TJ Webster leads the Tops with a .451 batting average, while Morgan Sharpe owns 45 hits on the season. Both lead CUSA in their category.
- Katie Gardner is operating with a 2.10 ERA to lead the WKU pitching staff, producing 71 strikeouts at the plate. Rylan Smith is next in line with a 2.50 ERA and 79 strikeouts.
- WKU and Sam Houston will wrap up the series for the final game, tomorrow, March 30 at the WKU Softball Complex. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT.
How to Follow Hilltopper Softball: For complete information on WKU Softball, follow the team on X at @WKUSoftball, Instagram @WKU_Softball, and Facebook/WKUSoftball.
