Tops Down UNCG, 8-4, Before Falling in 12-Inning Heartbreaker to [13] Duke - WKU Athletics

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BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — WKU Softball opened Saturday with an 8-4 elimination-game win over UNC Greensboro to extend its season another game before falling to No. 13-seeded Duke, 4-0, in a 12-inning heartbreaker from the NCAA Tournament Athens Regional. The Hilltoppers close the season at 32-15 after going 5-1 in postseason elimination games.
 
WKU Softball is now 5-6 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.
 
WKU 8, UNCG 4
 
The Hilltoppers exploded for a 4-0 lead in their first trip to the plate on Saturday thanks to two-run home runs from both Kennedy Sullivan and Taylor Sanders.
 
WKU tacked on four more runs in the bottom of the fourth to extend its lead out to 8-0. Kennedy Sullivan struck for a bases-loaded base hit to advance everyone 90 feet and push the Hilltopper lead to 5-0 before Brylee Hage sent a bases-clearing double to left center, making the score 8-0.
 
UNCG fought back in its next trip to the plate and cut the deficit back to four runs but the Hilltoppers retired the last seven batters for UNCG to get the final say.
 
Shelby Nunn earned the win in the circle with 4.2 innings of three hit ball. Nunn improved to 13-5 on the year with the decision. Katie Gardner worked the final 2.1 innings of the game, allowing zero UNCG baserunners in relief.
 
[13] DUKE 4, WKU 0 – 12 INNINGS
 
In WKU Softball's longest game since the 2017 postseason, the Hilltoppers dropped a heartbreaker to No. 12 ranked Duke. The sides stayed scoreless until the final frame when Duke struck for four runs off a pair of Hilltopper errors.
 
The Hilltoppers are now 5-1 all-time in games that last 12 innings or longer.
 
Gardner would toss 7.0 scoreless innings against the Blue Devils to open the game and allowed just three hits. Nunn would work the final 5.0 frames of the game in relief. She allowed just four hits and one earned run while striking out three.
 
Sanders went 3-for-5 in the game while Sullivan and Maddie Bowlds each added hits as well.
 
Bowlds set a new single-game record with 20 putouts in the outing. She passed head coach Amy Tudor and Shelly Floyd who were both tied at 19.
 
How to Follow the Hilltoppers: For complete information on WKU Softball, follow the team on Twitter at @WKUSoftball, Instagram @WKU_Softball and Facebook /WKUSoftball
 

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Tops Down UNCG, 8-4, Before Falling in 12-Inning Heartbreaker to [13] Duke - WKU Athletics
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