ATLANTA, Ga. – WKU Softball continued its weekend down in Georgia with a two-game split on Saturday with a 3-1 win over Belmont and a 3-2 loss against Georgia Tech.
Junior outfielder Jenna Blanton led the offensive charge with a .571 (4-for-7) batting average while junior right hander Maddy Wood led the pitching staff with a total of five strikeouts.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game One: WKU 3, Belmont 1
An explosive first inning and an extra run in the third gave the Hilltoppers (1-3 overall) the lead and they never looked back as they bounced back from Friday's loss against the Bruins (1-3 overall) and took the win on Saturday.
Wood quickly set the tone in the top half of the first frame with a strikeout dealt to Belmont's first batter while sophomore infielder Morgan Sharpe followed up with two more outs to wrap up the inning.
Blanton started the home half of the first frame with a triple to left field line while Sharpe continued her success with a single to bring Blanton across.
Sophomore infielder Annie White continued the Hilltoppers' momentum with a single down the right field line to push Sharpe over to third. Despite White getting caught in a rundown and eventually tagged out, Sharpe took advantage of the chaos and put another on the board.
During the top half of the second, Wood collected another two strikeouts to bring her total to three.
Belmont wasn't going away quietly, however, as a double to centerfield gave them their one and only run of the game.
WKU answered Belmont's score with one of their own in the home half of the third as freshman infielder Charlotte Herron doubled to right center to bring in Blanton who reached earlier with a single.
Sophomore right hander Rylan Smith earned the first save of the 2025 season after throwing 3.1 innings with two hits and two strikeouts.
Game Two: Georgia Tech 3, WKU 2
WKU's night ended in heartbreak on Saturday, as the Yellow Jackets (2-1 overall) came away with the walk-off win.
The Hilltoppers scored first in the third inning thanks to a double from Sharpe that brought in sophomore outfielder Kendle White who reached earlier in the inning with a bunt.
Georgia Tech didn't answer with a run of their own until the fourth inning and added another to make it 2-1 going into the sixth.
Back-to-back singles from Blanton and Sharpe put two Hilltoppers on the bases while White moved them over with a sacrifice bunt.
A pass ball by the Yellow Jackets allowed Blanton to score, tying the game at 2-2. As the game progressed into the final half of the frame, a hard hit ball to first proved to be the difference maker as Georgia Tech came away with the win.
NOTABLES
- Jenna Blanton led the Hilltoppers offensively going four-for-seven on the with Charlotte Herron a close second with a .500 batting average
- Maddy Wood led the pitching staff with five strikeouts in 5.2 total innings of work
NEXT UP
The Hilltoppers wrap up opening weekend with a final game against Georgia Tech on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT.
