MACOMB, Ill. - Hailey Bickford tossed a complete-game shutout in game two of a doubleheader as Western Illinois split a twin bill with IUPUI on Saturday, March 26 at Mary Ellen McKee Stadium.
The Fighting Leathernecks (9-14, 6-3) dropped game one to the Jaguars (10-16, 5-4) in an offensive slugfest before pulling out the series-clinching win in a pitchers duel in the third and final game of the weekend.
The teams combined for 44 runs on 41 hits in the first game, falling just nine runs shy of setting an NCAA Division I record for the most runs scored in one game. It also marked the highest run total in a game in Western Illinois history.
Game One: IUPUI 24, Western Illinois 20
IUPUI used a nine-run third inning to hit its way past Western Illinois in a slugfest in game one of Saturday's doubleheader. The Jaguars took an early 4-0 lead in the third inning before the Leathernecks rallied to take a 5-4 lead with two homers in the bottom of the third.
Nikki Marinec cut the deficit to two runs with a two-out, two-run homer to center field before Jamie Goss hit a three-run blast to give Western a one-run lead in the early innings.
The Jaguars responded with nine runs on seven hits in the top of the fourth. Alicia Brewer got the scoring started with a two-run homer to left center before a bases-loaded walk capped of the inning.
Western Illinois rallied back yet again in the bottom of the fourth with six runs on four hits. Erin Schlotfeldt's three-run triple, the first of her career, came with two outs in the inning and highlighted the scoring.
IUPUI tacked on seven more runs in the fifth thanks to four hits and two Leatherneck errors. Brewer hit a two-run shot to center field in the inning, her second home run of the game.
The Leathernecks responded with seven runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning. Goss brought in two runs with a double and Schlotfeldt plated two more with a two-run blast to left field to cap off the inning.
After a scoreless fifth, both teams got back on the board in the sixth. IUPUI plated four runs on three hits and two errors in the top half of the inning while the Leathernecks scored two on Megan Kelly's double in the bottom half.
Kelsey Michelini (1-7) took the loss after allowing 20 runs (19 earned) on 17 hits in 6.1 innings of work. She struck out six and issued 13 walks while throwing 214 pitches.
Nikki Thomas (5-5) picked up the win despite allowing 11 runs (10 earned) in nine hits in 2.2 innings. She struck out one and walked six Leathernecks.
IUPUI pounded out 21 hits while the Leathernecks had 20 but stranded 16 runners on base to Western's eight. The teams combined to issue 22 walks and tallied 12 extra-base hits.
Goss and Schlotfeldt each finished with five RBI while Marinec went 3-for-5 with three runs and three RBI. Colleen Biebel scored three runs and Megan Kelly had three hits.
Game Two: Western Illinois 4, IUPUI 0
Hailey Bickford tossed the first complete-game of her career and set season highs in innings pitched and strikeouts as the Leathernecks picked up a series clinching win in game two on Saturday.
The Leathernecks scored the first run on Bickford's RBI double in the bottom of the second inning and tacked on two more on an error and a sacrifice fly in the third.
Bickford worked out of a bases loaded jam by striking out Joy Perry to end the top of the fourth and keep Western's lead intact. She struck out a season-high nine batters in the performance.
Western Illinois tacked on an insurance run in the sixth on another RBI double by Bickford, who finished the game 2-for-3 with two RBI.
The freshman righty struck out the leadoff hitter in the seventh before allowing two runners to reach base. Bickford worked her way out of the jam by inducing a pop fly to right and striking out the final batter she faced.
Bickford (3-2) picked up her second win of the series by allowing just five hits over 7.0 innings. She issued four walks and struck out nine Jaguars.
Amy Raker (0-1) suffered the loss after allowing three unearned runs on two hits in 2.0 innings of work. She struck out two and did not issue a walk.
Marinec finished the contest 2-for-3 with a run scored as both teams picked up five hits. IUPUI stranded nine runners on the base paths while the Leathernecks left five on.
Western Illinois returns to action with a doubleheader at Loyola beginning at 3 p.m. on Tuesday before playing host to Iowa in a single game at 4 p.m. on Wednesday.
