Bowling Green, Ky. --- The Tennessee State University softball team dropped a 6-5 decision to Western Kentucky before falling to the Hilltoppers, 2-1, in the second game of the day.

Tennessee State falls to 6-13 overall while Western Kentucky improves to 17-9.

Western Kentucky scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the fourth but TSU answered right back in the next inning. Tedra Alford christened the inning with a blooper to center field before Jalisa Bradley stepped up to the plate and smashed a homerun over the centerfield wall to give TSU a 2-1 lead.

In the bottom of the fifth, The Hilltoppers used two hits and a sacrifice bunt to knot the score 2-2 before a two-run homer put WKU back on top 4-2.

The Tigers once again rallied from behind to take the lead in the top of the seventh. Jalisa Bradley reached first base on a walk and advanced to second on a single by Kelly Troglin. With runners on first and second, Brittany Webb recorded her seventh career homerun to put TSU on top 5-4.

A hit and a stolen base led to WKU putting the tying run on second base with no outs. Two batters later, a double to center field drove the runner home and evened the game 5-5. At this point, Natalie Papini entered to relieve Megan Hedrick.

Papini got the first batter to fly out but gave up a walk and then hit a batter to load the bases. With the score tied 5-5, two outs, the bases loaded and a full count, Papini struck out the batter swinging for the third out and forced extra innings.

In the top of the eighth, TSU had a chance to score when Christy Hill was on third with only one out.  Unfortunately, she was picked off on an attempted squeeze play. The Tigers didn't score in the inning. The Hilltoppers, however, weren't able to capitalize in their half of the frame and stranded a runner on base.

TSU had runners on second and third with only one out in the top of the ninth but was unable to send them across the plate.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, Western Kentucky scored the winning run behind a double to center field.

Natali Papini (0-1) was charged with the loss for TSU while Christy Hill (2-of-4) led the TSU with two hits. Brittany Webb registered three RBI while Jalisa Bradley had two. Webb and Bradley also recorded homeruns for the Tigers.

TSU jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in game two after Jalisa Bradley doubled to right center and later scored when Caitlin Eaton drove her in on a double to left center.

WKU knotted the score 1-1, following a solo homerun from Mallorie Sulaski in the bottom of the second.

After five straight innings without a score, TSU came close to tying the game in the top of the seventh when Kara Murr attempted to score all the way from first on a hit by Caitlin Eaton. Unfortunately, she was thrown out at the plate.

Caitlin Eaton (1-5) picked up the loss while Jalisa Bradley (2-of-4) and Eaton (2-of-4) each tallied two hits for TSU.

The Tigers will return to conference action this weekend when they host the Eagles of Morehead State in a three-game series. First pitch of Saturday's doubleheader is scheduled for 12 p.m. at Tiger Field.