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Belfield
4
Winner Lipscomb LIP 13-22
3
Western Kentucky WKU 23-11-1
Winner
Lipscomb LIP
13-22
4
Final
3
Western Kentucky WKU
23-11-1
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Lipscomb LIP 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 4 10 2
Western Kentucky WKU 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 3 5 1

W: Sapp, Ryleigh (5-7) L: Rylan Smith (9-3)

Game Recap: Softball |

Softball Tops Toppers in 4-3 Win

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Lipscomb softball took a short trip North on Wednesday for a midweek face-off with the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. The Bisons secured a 4-3 win over the Toppers ahead of their second to last regular season away series at Bellarmine.
 
The Bisons hopped off the bus and got right to work in Bowling Green as Elise Shewmaker claimed a spot on-base in the top of the first inning as she drew a walk from the Toppers' pitcher, but a strikeout for Lauren Griffith held the score as Western Kentucky stepped into the box.
 
Freshman Courtney Sauer took to the circle as the Bisons' starting pitcher and helped hold the Toppers to a one-two-three inning and keep the contest scoreless.
 
Lipscomb's squad continued to press on the gas, drawing another walk from the Toppers to put Katelyn Belding on-base before Alyssa Hastings knocked a double out to right field and sending Belding around to third base to give the Bisons two runners in scoring position.
 
The second strikeout of the inning against the Bisons put Lipscomb's squad up against the wall, but Elle Smith kept the momentum moving in Lipscomb's favor as she drew yet another walk from Western Kentucky's pitcher before a ground out against Lauren Higginbotham ended Lipscomb's turn at the plate.
 
Western Kentucky managed to put runners in the corners in the bottom of the second inning but the Bisons' energy paid off in the top of the third and the Purple and Gold broke open the scoring in the contest.
 
A ground out and a strikeout made Lipscomb's third trip to the batter's box look like it would be a quick one, but the Bisons were not ready to step out just yet and Lauren Griffith notched a single through the right side, advancing to second moments later on a single from Kaylyn Belfield.
 
Katelyn Belding then stepped into the box and launched a double to right-center field, sending Griffith and Belfield around home plate to give the Bisons a 2-0 lead and a runner on second base.
 
Alyssa Hastings drew a walk off of the Toppers pitcher then advanced to second base while Belding advanced to third on a wild pitch to Jack Busch from the Toppers' pitcher.
 
Busch drew a four-pitch walk to give the Bisons a bases-loaded opportunity and pinch-hitter Presley Rader took advantage of it a few minutes later with a big single to left-center field to send Hastings and Belding around to home plate, extending Lipscomb's lead to four runs before a strikeout against Macyn Kirby halted the Bisons' offensive efforts for the inning.
 
The Toppers fought to close the gap in the bottom of the third inning, putting two runners on base and batting them in with a triple down the right field line that scored then moments later on a throwing error for a three-run play that cut Lipscomb's lead to one run.
 
Lipscomb's offense sought to increase their lead once more as they put a runner on-base with a walk for Lauren Griffith but the Purple and Gold were held off by the Toppers' defense.
 
The Bisons returned the favor in the bottom of the fourth, however, and Lipscomb's defense held WKU's offense to a three up, three down inning.
 
The two squads continued to trade blows and the Bisons found themselves in scoring positions throughout the remainder of the contest, including putting up two hits with two runners left on base in the bottom of the sixth and a bases-loaded opportunity with no outs in the top of the seventh, but the Bisons' defense stole the show to hold onto Lipscomb's lead.
 
WKU drew a walk to open their turn at the plate in the bottom of the seventh and advanced their runner to second on a sacrifice bunt to put the potential tying run in scoring position.
 
Showing out as a relief pitcher for the Bisons since the bottom of the third, Ryleigh Sapp delivered a strikeout to put two outs on the board against the Toppers.
 
A single up the middle advanced WKU's runner to third and the Toppers then loaded the bases with a four-ball walk, but a pop fly to center field was pulled down handily by Elle Smith for out number three, clinching Lipscomb's 4-3 win over Western Kentucky.
 
UP NEXT
Lipscomb softball will take to the road once more on Saturday, Apr. 6th for a doubleheader at Bellarmine beginning at 11:00am CT.
 
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