BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Indiana State scored six runs over the final three innings but the comeback effort fell short in a 9-7 loss to host Western Kentucky in the final game of the Hilltopper Classic in Bowling Green Monday night.
 
Western Kentucky (10-2), which has now won five straight, took an 8-1 lead into the fifth inning. But that's when the Sycamore bats started to get hot and the spark came from a little sparkplug herself. Bailey Martin, who tied a career-high four hits and three runs scored in the game to lead Indiana State (7-3), hit a solo home run to right center in the fifth.
 
The next inning it was Martin again, this time with a single that would, aided by a WKU error, score two runs. That error – WKU's lone miscue on the day – would allow the speedy Martin to score. And it was Martin again in the seventh with a two-out RBI single to score Becky Malchow from second with Mann sending her home in the next at bat.
 
That, following a Hilltopper pitching change as Shelby Nunn took the circle, brought the tying run to the plate in the form of Bella Peterson, who crushed the ball to left field but it was caught for the final out. Nunn (1) claimed the save for WKU while Kennedy Sullivan (7-0) maintained her perfect record on the year.
 
Abbey Kruzel (0-1) was charged with the loss after allowing four runs on four hits in 1 2/3 innings pitched in the circle. Arielle Blankenship allowed four runs in two innings in relief but only one of those was earned as Indiana State matched a season-high three errors.
 
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Bailey Martin gets the nod after tying a career-high four hits, hitting her second home run of the season (and fourth of her career), tying a career-high three runs and driving in another three, matching a season-high mark.
 
STAT OF THE GAME
Senior leadership. Indiana State's three seniors of Shaye Barton, Brooke Mann and Bailey Martin combined for 10 of Indiana State's 15 hits, all five of the team's RBI and three of the seven runs. In all the senior trio was 10-for-13 (.769) at the plate.
 
PITCHERS OF RECORD

• Win: Kennedy Sullivan, Western Kentucky (7-0)
• Loss: Abbey Kruzel, Indiana State (0-1)
• Save: Shelby Nunn, Western Kentucky (1)

RECORDS UPDATE

• Indiana State: 7-3 (2-2 Away)
• Western Kentucky: 10-2 (6-1 Home)

NOTABLES

• Indiana State dropped to 1-9 against Western Kentucky.
• The seven runs the Sycamores scored against WKU Monday mark the most runs Indiana State has ever scored on the Hilltoppers.
• Bailey Martin tied a career-high four hits in the game matching the four hits she had at Illinois State on March 31, 2018.
• Bailey Martin's four hits marks her sixth multiple hit game out of 10 contests this season.
• Bailey Martin's three RBI performance matched a season-high for the senior (she had three RBI against Dayon on Feb. 15).
• Shaye Barton tied a career-high three hits, a feat she has now accomplished seven times. The last time she registered three hits was against Bradley on April 8, 2018.

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