COLUMBIA, Mo. ? The Western Illinois softball team dropped two games against No. 13 Missouri on Wednesday afternoon at University Field.

In the first game of the doubleheader, the Westerwinds (8-13) came within one run of upsetting the Tigers (25-3) in a 2-1 loss. The second game of the doubleheader saw Western fall to Missouri 13-1 in five innings.

Game one: Missouri 2, Western Illinois 1
Micaela Minner hit a walk-off RBI single to left-center field, scoring Gina Schneider to take a 2-1 victory over the Westerwinds in game one of the doubleheader.

One of Western's two hits in the game came from Michelle Prieto in the top of the first inning on a single to left field. After Colleen Biebel reached on a fielder's choice, Julie DePolo grounded out to third base for the second out of the inning. The early attempt to get on the scoreboard ended on the next play on a Jamie Goss strikeout.

It looked as if the Tigers would score in the bottom of the fourth as they had runners on second and third base with only one out, but Kamren Ferguson (4-6) struck out the next two batters to get out of the jam.

The first run of the game went to Missouri as Schneider hit a home run over the left field fence to take a 1-0 lead over the Westerwinds in the bottom of the fifth inning.

In the top of the seventh, Julie DePolo started the late rally for Western as she singled to left field to advance Biebel, who was walked on the previous at bat, to second base. Goss laid down a sacrifice bunt down the first baseline to move the base runners on the next play. Biebel scored on an Erin Schlotfeldt sacrifice bunt on the next Western at bat, tying the game at one. The scoring rally ended with a Michelle Neubauer strikeout on the following play.

Picking up the loss was Ferguson who recorded four strikeouts and allowed eight hits in six innings of work.

The Tigers out hit the Westerwinds 8-2 in the contest, but stranded seven more base runners (9-2).

From the plate, only two Western batters picked up a hit in Prieto and DePolo.

Game two: Missouri 13, Western Illinois 1 (5 innings)
The score of the second game of the doubleheader was not as close as the Tigers pounded out 13 hits to take a 13-1 victory in five innings.

Missouri did not waste any time getting on the scoreboard, getting six base runners across home plate in the bottom of the first inning. Western attempted to retaliate offensively in the top of the second as Goss started off the inning with a double to left-center field. Schlotfeldt reached first base on the next play after she was hit by a pitch, placing two Westerwinds on base without any outs in the inning. After an Ashley Campbell strikeout, Nikki Marinec grounded into a double play to end the inning still down six runs.

The Tigers scored seven more runs throughout the game to take a 13-0 lead heading into the top of the fifth inning.

In the top of the fifth, Campbell hit a double to right-center field to start a late comeback for the Westerwinds. Marinec followed Campbell's at bat with a hit of her own as she hit an RBI double to left-center field, scoring Campbell for Western's first and only run of the game. After a Beth Golitko strikeout, Lauren Furgala lined out to third base for the second out of the inning. Marinec was caught stealing third base on the following play to end the game with a 13-1 loss.   

Lori Pankratz (2-6) picked up the loss from the circle, walking three batters and allowing seven earned runs on six hits in one inning of work. Campbell pitched the last three innings of the game, giving up five earned runs on seven hits.

Goss lead the offense with two hits on two at bats while Campbell and Marinec chipped in with one hit apiece.

Up next
After playing their last 21 games on the road, the Westerwinds open play at Mary Ellen McKee Stadium on Saturday, March 21 at 12 p.m. in a three-game series with Oakland (8-14).

Postgame notes
Western's two freshmen, Campbell and Goss, are stepping up to the plate for the Westwinds as Campbell has a team-high .339 batting average and Goss has a team-high 21 hits with a .318 batting average.

Pankratz's five game hit streak ended in the 2-1 loss to Missouri as well as DePolo's five game scoring streak.

Postgame quotes
Western Illinois head coach Holly Van Vlymen
“Kamren's (Ferguson) pitching was key for us in the first game. She really kept the Missouri batters off balance, and she pitched a great game. Credit should also be given to Nikki (Marinec) for calling such a great game for her behind home plate.”

“Our defense played well even though we had some errors here and there, but they did not hurt us. I also think our attitude was great today. Our girls never got down and stayed positive the entire time, even down 13 runs going into the fifth inning (second game), we did not roll over and die and scored a run.”

“We played with a lot of passion and a lot of heart even though we lost, and that is one thing we found out about ourselves during this spring break. We need to continue to play with a lot of heart and passion this season, especially heading into this weekend against a tough opponent in Oakland.”

On playing at home after being on the road for 21 games
“We are excited to play at home for the first time this year. It will be nice for our fans to watch our games at home this season after the renovations McKee Stadium received this fall and spring. I look around at the other facilities we play at, and ours is one of the nicest to play in, so I am excited to play at home and hopefully get a home field advantage.”