WKU defeats NM State in Conference USA opener
LAS CRUCES, N.M. – WKU Softball earned their first win in Conference USA action with a 2-1 win against New Mexico State in nine innings. Brylee Hage, TJ Webster, and Morgan Sharpe each had a multi-hit game, while Hage and Sophie Weber garnered the two RBIs for the Red and White.
Katie Gardner worked through eight innings and totaling six strikeouts at the plate, bringing her strikeout total to 23 in the last five appearances. Rylan Smith pitched the final inning, dealing two strikeouts and recording the first save of the WKU pitching staff this season.
WKU 2, NM STATE 1 [9inn.]
The Aggies got on the board first with a solo home run into center field in the bottom of three for their third hit of the ballgame.
In the top of the sixth frame, Morgan Sharpe earned a leadoff single up the middle before Taylor Sanders drew a walk and Cheyanne Sales would lay down a sacrifice-bunt to advance runners to second and third base. With bases loaded after Randi Drinnon drew a walk, Sophie Weber shot a ball into deep right field for a sacrifice-fly, sending Sharpe tagging and running across the bag.
After two scoreless innings, the Tops and Aggies headed to the ninth frame, as Kelsey Schmidt led off with a double into right-center field and advanced to third on a passed ball. Brylee Hage would pick up the game-winning RBI, sending Schmidt across the plate off of a single through the left side for the 2-1 game.
With her 10th game started this season, Katie Gardner dealt six strikeouts from the circle, only giving up one run off of seven hits to the Aggies. Rylan Smith came in for relief in the bottom of the ninth inning, retiring two at the plate and recording her first career save.
