Slugger Taylor Sanders was two-for-four at the plate with her 13th multi-hit game on the season, as Annie White drove in the lone RBI on the board for the Red and White in the first inning.
WKU 3, OLE MISS 0
The three runs on the board were scored in the opening frame with the Tops in the batter's box. Taylor Sanders hit a two-out single into right field before Cheyanne Sales drew a walk to bring two Toppers on base. An RBI single on the right field line off the bat of Annie White would pick up the first run for the Red and White.
Later in the inning, Sales stole home plate for her second stolen base on the season, drawing a 2-0 lead in favor of WKU. Morgan Sharpe would land on base with a single on the left field line, advancing to second on an errant throw by Ole Miss that would score White, unearned, and finalized the board 3-0 after the first.
The Tops and Rebels kept it quiet during the rest of the ballgame, as the Hilltoppers would pick up three more hits at the plate. Right-hander Katie Gardner retired nine in a row before giving up the first Ole Miss hit of the game in the fifth inning. Keeping the Rebels scoreless, the Hilltoppers worked their way out of runners on the corners off of a double play in the bottom of the seventh.
Gardner moved her 2024 record to 11-7 and collected her sixth complete game shutout on the season. The Bowling Green native gave up three hits and one walk, while striking out four at the plate.
TOP STORYLINES
- WKU now leads the all-time series with Ole Miss, 3-2. It's the first victory for the Hilltoppers over the Rebels since 2014.
- Taylor Sanders had the only multi-hit outing at the plate on the evening, as five other Hilltoppers collected a hit in the game.
- Fifth-year Katie Gardner picked up four strikeouts in her sixth complete game shutout of the season.
- TJ Webster leads the Tops with a .402 batting average, while Morgan Sharpe owns 47 hits on the season. Sharpe leads the league in hits.
- The Red and White continue to lead Conference USA in batting average (.307) and fielding percentage (.975) on the season.
- Katie Gardner is operating with a 2.04 ERA to lead the WKU pitching staff, producing 90 strikeouts at the plate. Rylan Smith is next in line with a 3.07 ERA and 88 strikeouts.
- WKU and Ole Miss are back in action for game two of the series at the Ole Miss Softball Complex, tomorrow, April 13 at 2 p.m. CT. The game is on SECN+.
How to Follow Hilltopper Softball: For complete information on WKU Softball, follow the team on X at @WKUSoftball, Instagram @WKU_Softball, and Facebook/WKUSoftball.
