Hilltoppers Even Series With 7-5 Win Over Aggies

Saturday, March 28

Las Cruces, N.M.

5 p.m. CT

Western Kentucky University

23-8, 7-4

New Mexico State

17-17, 7-4

Western Ky.

New Mexico St.

Photo by: Caty Llamas, WKU Athletics

3/28/2026 10:18:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

LAS CRUCES, N.M. -- WKU Softball evened the series with a 7-5 win on Saturday at the NM State Softball Complex.

Three different Hilltoppers (23-8 overall, 7-4 CUSA) hit .500 on the day and the team posted four runs in the fifth inning alone as Kennedy Stinson hit her seventh home run of the season against the Aggies (17-17 overall, 7-4 CUSA).

WKU 7, NMSU 5
HOW IT HAPPENED

It was a back-and-forth affair in Las Cruces on Saturday as both squads scored in four of the seven complete innings.

It was the Hilltoppers who struck first, as Lauren Satterly and Morgan Sharpe both brought in a run to put the team up 2-0 in the top of the first.

Jenna Blanton got the first frame started with a bunt single and Satterly quickly brought her in with an RBI double to left field. Immediately after Satterly scored Blanton, Sharpe also sent one to left field to bring Satterly home.

The bottom half of the first was uneventful for NMSU as Houge sat down the Aggies in order with three straight groundouts.

NMSU got their first runs of the day with a sacrifice fly and an RBI single to even the score, 2-2, going into the third. Both sides were held scoreless in the third frame.

WKU answered with a run of their own in the top of the fourth thanks to a double from Maci Masters to put one aboard. Anna Mauck followed with an RBI double to score Master and put the Tops back on top, 3-2.

The Aggies weren't going away quietly, however, as the home team punched right back with an RBI single and leveled it three all.

The Tops saw their third pitcher of the day in the top of the fifth and took full advantage, adding four runs to their total. Kendle White kicked things off with a double to center field followed by an Annie White RBI double to right field for the first run. The second run came after Sharpe singled through the right side to move Annie White to third, and Katie Murphy laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to first base to score White.

On the fifth pitch of her at-bat, Stinson turned and sent the ball over the right center wall for her seventh home run of the season and added the final two runs of the day to the board.
The Aggies had no answer in the bottom of the fifth inning but grabbed two more runs in the sixth and seventh innings with two solo home runs.

QUOTABLE
"It was a great bounce back. I thought we looked more prepared and ready. Our sticks came to play, the defense held it down, and Erica held it down on the rubber," said WKU Softball head coach Amy Tudor.

NOTABLES

WKU improves to 23-10 overall against NMSU and 11-3 when playing at the NM State Softball Complex.
Kendle White, Lauren Satterly, and Morgan Sharpe all hit .500 (2-for-4) on the day.
Kennedy Stinson's home run is the seventh of the season and the 38th of the year for WKU. Stinson's home run is also the 15th of her career.
Erica Houge earned her 13th win in her 15th start on Saturday. Houge gave up eight hits and struck out two.
Kennedy Stinson led in RBI with two. Seven of WKU's starting nine posted at least one RBI.

UP NEXT
Saturday's win sets up a rubber match between the two squads on Sunday, March 29. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m. CT and will be broadcasted on ESPN+.