The Fighting Leathernecks (1-6) dropped their first game of the day to McNeese State (1-6) by a 8-0 score before winning their second game against Western Carolina (6-1) by a score of 6-0.
"I thought we did a great job of bouncing back in the second game," said head coach Holly Van Vlymen. "Our team did a great job of refocusing after the first game and stringing together some nice at bats. We had chances in the first game and just didn't convert but it was nice to see us convert those same chances in the second game."
Western Illinois will face the host Tigers tomorrow before concluding the weekend with a game against Campbell on Sunday. Saturday's game starts at 12:30 p.m. while Sunday's contest begins at 11:30 a.m.
Game 2 - Western Illinois 6, Western Carolina 0
Ashley Campbell tossed a complete-game shutout as Western Illinois won its first game of the 2011 season against Western Carolina in its second game of the Tiger Invitational. Campbell (1-3) scattered four hits over 7.0 innings as the Catamounts never really threatened in the contest. The junior recorded five strikeout and issued six walks to earn her first win since she last pitched as a freshman in 2009.
The Leathernecks scored five of their runs in the third and fourth innings. Western Illinois got on the board when Michelle Prieto doubled right field to plate two runs in the third inning. Nikki Marinec would put Western Illinois up 3-0 with an RBI double in the fourth inning before Prieto drew a bases loaded walk to extend the lead to 4-0. Campbell would come across to score later in the inning when Colleen Biebel reached first on a fielder's choice. Anna Copeland's RBI single in the sixth inning added an insurance run to make the final 6-0. The Leathernecks outhit the Catamounts seven to four and were perfect in the field while Western Carolina committed one error. Copeland and Golitko each finished 2-for-3 while Prieto had a game-high three RBI.
Game 1 - McNeese State 8, Western Illinois 0 (6)
Kelsey Michelini held McNeese State without a hit for four innings but the Cowgirls would plate seven runs in the fifth inning and one more in the sixth in an 8-0 win over Western Illinois. The Leathernecks looked as if they would score in the second, third and fourth innings when they were able to advance runners into scoring position, but McNeese would erase each threat to keep the game tied.
Western Illinois had its best chance to score in the fourth inning when Nikki Marinec reached on a fielder's choice with and attempted to score on Beth Golitko's double to center field but was thrown at at home to end the inning. McNeese State would take advantage of Western's inability to score as it plated seven runs in the bottom of the fifth inning on six hits and one error.
After striking out the first batter of the inning, Michelini would allow a single and walk before Molly Guidry put the first runs of the game on the board with a three-run homer to center.
Katie Roux would double down the left field line two batters later to plate two runs and push the lead to 5-0. Hailey Bickford would enter the game in relief of Michelini. Marissa Koetting would drive in two runs with a single two batters later to give McNeese a 7-0 lead before Bickford retired two of the next three batters to end the inning.
The Leathernecks were able to get a runner to third base with two outs in the top of the sixth inning, but Beth Golitko flew out to right field to end the threat. The Cowgirls would put the game away with a single run in the bottom of the inning when Stacey Conley scored the winning run on an error.
Michelini suffered the loss after allowing six runs on four hits in 4.1 innings of work. She walked six and struck out four batters.
Bickford pitched 1.0 inning in relief and allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits and a walk. Megan Kelly led Western's effort at the plate with two hits in two at bats. The Leathernecks were outhit eight to six and committed three errors while the Cowgirls were perfect in the field. Kayla Shephard got the win for McNeese by allowing no runs on six hits in 6.0 innings. She walked two and recorded two strikeouts.
