By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – After getting a pair of wins last week at the UNCG Invitational, the Tennessee Tech softball team is back on the road this weekend as they travel to Bowling Green for the Hilltopper Spring Fling at Western Kentucky.

Tech (6-6) will take on Evansville twice in the event, including a 12:30 p.m. matchup on Friday and a 5:30 p.m. rematch on Saturday, two contests against host Western Kentucky – 5:30 p.m. on Friday and 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, as well as a single game against Southeastern Conference foe Kentucky.

The Golden Eagles have already seen Evansville twice this season with the Golden Eagles winning both games against the Purple Aces at the Furman Paladin Invitational, including a 2-0 win on Feb. 8 and an eight-inning, 7-4 triumph on Feb. 9.

Emily York pitched five scoreless innings with reigning Ohio Valley Conference pitcher of the week Lainey Fitzgerald collecting the save in the 2-0 win as Sydney Kirby and Fitzgerald drove in the two runs.

In the second game, after seeing their 4-2 lead in the seventh erased, Kirby had an RBI single in the extra frame, then Alina Schlageter and Bella Ochoa scored on an error at short off of a grounder from Abbee Klinefelter for the 7-4 win. Addison Abell earned the win in relief.

Evansville currently stands at 7-6 on the season with the team hitting .330 with 23 home runs and 81 RBI. The Purple Aces have only allowed 66 runs to cross in the 13 games with four home runs and 48 RBI against.

The Aces already have four players with double-digit RBI totals, including Taylor Howe (16), Jess Willsey (13), Morgan Adams (13) and Callie Meinel (11), with Adams also launching a team-best seven home runs.

In the circle, Kate Ridgway and Gracie Hollingsworth both have three wins to their credit as the staff has a 3.75 earned run average and 52 total strikeouts.

The Hilltoppers enter the weekend with a 10-4 record and a nine-game winning streak sweeping through the Cardinal Clash at Troy, Ala., and their first home tournament last weekend with wins over Southeast Missouri, Eastern Illinois twice, Troy, Alabama State, Gardner-Webb twice and Bradley twice.

As a team, Western Kentucky is batting .315 with 64 RBI and four home runs, while stealing 24 bases on 28 attempts. Jenna Blanton leads the team with a .545 average and is one of three players with nine RBI along with Morgan Sharpe (.400) and Kendle White (.333).

In the circle, WKU has a 2.34 staff ERA with 57 total strikeouts. Rylan Smith has four victories this season with a 1.68 ERA, while Delainey Bargfrede has the best ERA with a 1.50 but has seen just 9 1/3 innings of work.

Kentucky, meanwhile, enters the tournament with a 10-5 record and has won four straight after dropping the opener of the I-75 Tournament in Atlanta. The Wildcats fell 3-1 to Coastal Carolina, then run-ruled Georgia Tech and Memphis before another 16-6 win over the Yellow Jackets and a 7-4 win over Kennesaw State.

UK is batting .312 on the year with 79 RBI and 14 home runs. Peyton Plotts leads the team with 20 RBI to go along with her .391 batting average, while Allie Blum has the top batting average with a .400 clip with 12 RBI.

In the circle, the Wildcats have a 2.43 ERA and 61 strikeouts on the season, with Alexia Lacatena (1.88 ERA) and Carson Fall (2.83 ERA) each with three wins this season. Lacatena has two shutouts among her seven appearances and 26 innings of work.

The Golden Eagles are batting .256 on the season with three home runs and 34 RBI. Abby Shoulders has the top average with a .371 rate, three RBI, a team-best seven runs scored and five stolen bases on six tries. Kirby leads the team in RBI with six.

As a staff, the Tech pitchers have a 2.44 ERA with 63 strikeouts, including a 14-K performance for Fitzgerald last weekend against George Washington. Fitzgerald has a 3-0 record with a 2.10 ERA to pace the squad.

Following this weekend's action in Bowling Green, the Golden Eagles will make their home debut next Wednesday as they host Bellarmine in a 3 p.m. contest, then open the OVC slate that weekend with a three-game set against Tennessee State.

Admission for all games at the Tech Softball Field is free to the public.

Photo | Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information