WKU Softball sweeps day one of Hilltopper Classic
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — WKU Softball scored a total of 16 runs and right-handed pitcher Maddy Wood threw her first shutout of the season in the two-game sweep of both Butler and Western Michigan in the Hilltopper Classic.
WKU (8-3 overall) got off to their best start since 2022 after posting double-digit hits in both games, 14 against the Bulldogs (4-6 overall) and 10 against the Broncos (6-4 overall). Kendle White, Jenna Blanton, and Charlotte Herron tied for a team-high four hits while Maci Masters and Kennedy Stinson both knocked in two-run home runs.
WKU 9, BUTLER 0
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Tops only needed two innings to secure their second run-rule win of the season. The first five runs of the day came in the second, while the last four came in the fourth.
A walk from Masters, a bunt single from Herron, and a single to right field from infielder Anna Mauck loaded the bases for the Tops with only one out. A double from shortstop Morgan Sharpe scored two, and a single from White immediately after scored the third run. The fourth run came from Blanton, who scored on a wild pitch after reaching with a triple to right center.
Through the first three innings, Wood only allowed three hits, which was the only offense Butler would collect the entire game.
Sharpe opened the fourth inning with a triple, and White collected her second RBI of the game with a single to left field. Blanton followed with a bunt to move Kendle White to second, and a single from first baseman Annie White scored Kendle White.
Stinson and Herron were responsible for the last two runs of the inning to bring the score to 9-0 in favor of WKU.
Wood sat the Bulldogs down in order to close out the top of the fifth and secure the first win of the day.
WKU 7, WMU 2
HOW IT HAPPENED
Two home runs for WKU highlighted the offensive performance in the second game of the day from Masters and Stinson.
Blanton laid down a bunt single to third, stole second, and advanced to third thanks to a flyout to right field from Annie White. Later that inning, Stinson reached on error and scored Blanton.
Masters knocked her fourth home run of the season over right center to score both herself and Stinson.
Up 3-0, the Broncos hit a two-run home run down the left field line to bring the score within one.
The one-run deficit didn’t last long, however, as Stinson sent one over the center field wall to add another two runs to the board.
Sharpe opened the bottom of the fifth with a double to left field and then moved to third after a single from Kendle White. Blanton grounded out to second, but not before scoring Sharpe to widen WKU’s lead, 6-2.
The last run of the night came from a Stinson single to left center.
QUOTABLE
“It’s awesome,” said WKU Softball head coach, Amy Tudor. “We had a great crowd, it was a little chilly today, but we really appreciated our fans coming out. Hopefully they enjoy our games. I thought we had all three parts of our game going, and we were very focused but also entertaining. They looked like they had fun doing this, they looked prepared, and it’s fun to coach.”
NOTABLES
- Maddy Wood earned her fourth win and first shutout of the season. She also leads the WKU pitching staff with a 1.48 ERA, currently ranked fourth in the conference.
- In the game against Butler, 14 of Maddy Wood’s 15 outs were groundouts while the last was a line drive to shortstop. She also finished the day without any earned runs.
- Jenna Blanton finished the day with a .800 batting average, going 4-for-5 at the plate with three singles, a triple, and one RBI.
- Six different hitters finished with at least a .500 batting average.
- Kennedy Stinson led the way with four RBI on the day.
- The Hilltoppers are now 4-2 when recording 10 or more hits.
UP NEXT
WKU continues at the Hilltopper Classic with two games on Saturday against Detroit Mercy and Western Michigan. First pitch for the game against the Titans (2-5 overall) is set for 12:30 p.m. CT, and first pitch against WMU is set for 3 p.m. CT.
