Bowling Green, Ky. — The Western Kentucky University softball team broke a nine-game losing streak with two victories against Tennessee State on Tuesday at the WKU Softball Complex. WKU won game one 8-1 and followed it up with a 5-2 victory in game two.

The Hilltoppers (16-25) started the contest like they weren’t looking to break the streak as the leadoff hitter for TSU (15-28) reached on an error by the centerfielder and later scored on an error by the catcher. The Toppers didn’t waste long, however, to take the lead as Rebecca Horesky crushed a homer to left centerfield to put WKU up 2-1. The shot was Horesky’s seventh on the season.

Kelsey McCauley then pushed the lead to 4-1 with her solo shot to right center in the fourth inning. Shelby Smith then tacked on two more runs with her single up the middle that scored Brittney Perry and Lindsay Antone and then Shannon Smith doubled to right center to score Horesky and Antone to make the lead 8-1 after four innings.

Ryan Rogge (10-12) earned the victory after striking out nine Tiger batters and allowing just one hit.

Antone, She. Smith, Sha. Smith, and McCauley each collected two hits each for the Hilltoppers in game one.

She. Smith broke the game wide open in the fifth inning of game two on a towering three-run homer — her fifth on the season — that hit the flag pole to put WKU up 5-2.

Three straight singles up the middle of the diamond got the first run across the plate for the Toppers as McCauley singled home She. Smith in the second inning to put WKU up 1-0. Rachelle Boucher then added another run in the inning as she singled home Sha. Smith.

Tamara Perkins tripled down the right field line to score Jill Gardner and Bridget Metzger scored Gardner on a single to tie the game at two in the third inning.

Jennifer Kempf (6-11) took the game two victory after pitching seven innings and allowing just two runs on five strikeouts. She. Smith finished the day with two hits and three RBI.

WKU returns to Sun Belt Conference action on Saturday with a doubleheader against North Texas starting at 2 p.m. (CDT) in Denton, Texas.