BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Saturday's opening day of the WKU Hilltopper Spring Fling saw the University of Evansville softball team open the day with a 2-1 loss to Austin Peay before falling in the finale by a score of 9-0 to Western Kentucky.

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Game One Box Score - Game Two Box Score

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Game 1 – Austin Peay 2, UE 1
 
Alexa Davis and Zoe Frossard recorded two hits apiece but a single run in the top of the fourth lifted Austin Peay to a 2-1 victory.
 
Frossard picked up a hit in the first while Hannah Hood and Davis recorded hits in the second but the game remained scoreless heading to the third.  The Governors took a 1-0 lead on an RBI single.  UE countered with a run in the second.  Taylor Howe and Frossard led the inning with hits.  Dori Brown pinch ran for Howe and her speed made the difference. 
 
After stealing third, Brown tied the game on a throwing error by APSU.  Gabi Apiag gave Austin Peay the lead on an infield single and the damage could have been more but Purple Aces starter Mikayla Jolly got out of a bases-loaded jam to end the threat. 
 
Unfortunately, the offense picked up just one hit over the final four frames and could not overcome the deficit as APSU won by a 2-1 final.  Jolly suffered her first loss of the season.  Elle Jarrett allowed four hits in a scoreless 1 1/3 innings while Megan Brenton tossed a hitless 1 2/3 frames.  Jordan Benefiel picked up the win for the Governors.  She struck out 11 in the complete-game effort.
 
Game 2 – Western Kentucky 9, UE 0 (5 innings)
 
Western Kentucky scored seven runs in the first innings and cruised to a 9-0 victory in five innings.  After Evansville went down 1-2-3 in the top of the first, it did not take long for the Hilltoppers to strike.  With one out, WKU had seven consecutive batters reach as they took a 6-0 lead.
 
Kennedy Foote and TJ Webster picked up 2-RBI singles in the frame.  Hannah Hood registered the first UE hit of the game in the second inning but was stranded on second to end the inning.  WKU extended the lead to 9-0 on a Taylor Sanders 2-RBI hit and that would complete the scoring.
 
Alexa Davis picked up the Aces' second hit of the game in the fourth while Hood followed with a walk.  The duo stole second and third with two outs before a pop up kept UE scoreless.  That would be the top threat of the game as UE fell by the 9-0 final.
 
Erin Kleffman took the loss for UE allowing seven runs, six earned, in 1/3 of an inning.  Sydney Weatherford tossed 2 2/3 frames and gave up two unearned runs.  Paige McAllister threw a scoreless fourth inning. 
 
UE looks to get back on track when they face Akron (10 a.m.) and Austin Peay (5:30 p.m.) on Sunday.