Bowling Green, Ky. – Middle Tennessee pitcher Lindsey Vander Lugt held the Western Kentucky University softball team to one run on six hits as the Blue Raiders dealt WKU a 3-1 loss Sunday at the WKU Softball Complex.

The lefty went 7.0 innings and struckout three batters to lift MTSU’s record to 28-28 overall and 14-9 against Sun Belt Conference opponents. WKU’s loss in the rubber match of the three-game series dropped its record to 28-30 overall and 11-13 in league play.

WKU will now look ahead to the conference tournament which will be played in Murfreesboro, Tenn., beginning on May 9.

Martha Davis reached on a fielding error by Alana Towns, went to second on a wild pitch, and then scored when Samantha Floyd shot a double that fell into the rightfield gap in the top of the second.

MTSU added a run to its lead in the fifth when Justine Cedra singled home Katie Mielke after Mielked doubled to center to start the frame.

Vander Lugt (19-19) limited WKU to two hits over the game’s first four innings. Lindsay Antone and Ashley Contreras singled in a scoreless fifth for the Hilltoppers.

WKU posted one run in a two-hit sixth inning. Sam Cronk singled up the middle and Towns reached second after a Blue Raider error, which also left Cronk on third. Rebecca Horesky singled up the gut to cross Cronk, making the count 2-1. Vander Lugt retired the next two Hilltoppers to leave a pair of runners stranded on base.

Mielke led off the seventh by slamming a solo homer to left-center. She posted three hits on the afternoon in her four at-bats and score twice.

Jennifer Kempf (19-17) surrendered nine hits and two earned runs while firing in four strikeouts in the losing effort.