Hilltoppers Host Miners in Penultimate Home Conference Series

Friday, April 17

Bowling Green, Ky.

3 p.m. CT

Western Kentucky University

University of Texas at El Paso

Photo by: Liam Downie/WKU Athletics

Hilltoppers Host Miners in Penultimate Home Conference Series

4/16/2026 6:51:00 PM | Softball

WKU Game Notes

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -- WKU Softball hosts the UTEP Miners for a three-game series on Friday, April 17, and Sunday, April 19, at the WKU Softball Complex.

The Hilltoppers (30-10 overall, 12-6 CUSA) are fresh off a midweek win where Annie White hit the team's 51st home run of the season to set a new single season program record.

GAME INFO VS. UTEP
Location: WKU Softball Complex, Bowling Green, Kentucky

Friday, April 17

3 p.m. CT
- Watch | Follow
- Promo: Movie Weekend (Comedy Night)

Friday, April 17

6 p.m. CT
- Watch | Follow
- Promo: Movie Weekend (Action Night)

Sunday, April 19

11 a.m. CT
- Follow | Listen
- Promo: Movie Weekend (Rom-Com Night)

ABOUT THE TOPS

WKU is currently 30-10 and 12-6 in Conference USA play.
The 2026 season is the 19th season in WKU's history with 30 or more wins and is also the fifth-consecutive season of that nature.
On Wednesday, April 15, the 2026 edition of WKU Softball broke the single-season program record in team home runs with 51. The previous record was 50 home runs set in 2013 and tied in 2017. The Tops have at least 10 more games to extend their record.
The Hilltoppers have already set program records in best start (19-3), longest win streak (14 games), and single-season home runs (51).
WKU is on the cusp of setting additional records in best home record, best single-season batting average, best single-season slugging percentage, and best single-season on-base percentage.
The Hilltoppers are hitting .339 on the season and are ranked no. 29 nationally in team batting average.
Jenna Blanton is leading the Hilltoppers offense with a .446 batting average, good enough for second in all of Conference USA.
Annie White leads both the team and the conference in on-base percentage at .521.
Morgan Sharpe leads the team in extra-base hits with 20. Sharpe also leads the team in doubles with 14.
Erica Houge has been lights out in the circle for WKU, leading both the team and the conference in ERA with a 2.07.
Maci Masters has the most home runs of the season with 13.
When playing at home, WKU is currently 20-1 on the season.

ABOUT UTEP
Series Record

WKU is 12-6 all-time against UTEP.
When playing at the WKU Softball Complex, the Tops are 7-2.
The last matchup between the two squads was a three-game series in 2025 when UTEP took the weekend, 2-1.
In their lone win of the weekend on March 22, Maci Masters set single-game records in RBI (8) and home runs (3).

Scouting the Miners

The Miners are 11-27 overall and 3-15 in conference play.
UTEP is hitting .282 on the year with 278 hits, 166 runs, and 16 home runs.
At the plate, UTEP is led by Marissa Burchard who is slashing .333/.414/.530. Burchard has also collected 39 hits, 29 runs, and 16 RBI.
The UTEP pitching staff has posted a 7.58 ERA. In their 245.2 innings of work, the pitching staff has given up 340 hits, 308 runs, and fanned 97.
In the circle, Tatyana Vega leads with a 5.43 ERA. In her 107.0 innings of work, Vega has given up 121 hits, 89 runs, and struck out 52.