MACOMB, Ill. – The Western Illinois Softball team will wrap up its slate of regular-season Summit League contests when it travels to South Dakota State for a three-game series beginning on Friday, April 29.

The Fighting Leathernecks (17-22, 12-9) split a doubleheader with in-state rival Northern Illinois on Tuesday. Western Illinois has won four of its past five games and currently sits in fifth place in The Summit League entering the final weeks of league play.

The Jackrabbits (9-35, 6-12) enter the week after being swept in a three-game series by North Dakota State over the weekend. South Dakota State will take on No. 14 Nebraska today (April 27) in a doubleheader before playing host to the Leathernecks.

All of the action can be heard live on WIUS 88.3 FM by clicking HERE. Fans can also follow the game via live stats (HERE) or the Western Illinois Softball Twitter page (HERE).

The Matchup
Who: Western Illinois (17-22, 12-9) at South Dakota State (9-35, 6-12)
When: Friday, April 29 at 2 p.m. (DH) & Saturday, April 30 at 1 p.m.
Location: Brookings, S.D.
Stadium: Jackrabbit Softball Stadium

Coverage
Live Stats • GoJacks.com (free)
Twitter • @WIUSoftball (free)
Radio • WIUS 88.3 FM (free)
Play-by-Play: Julio Rausseo

PREVIOUSLY VS. NIU: Western Illinois split a doubleheader with Northern Illinois on Tuesday... the Leathernecks took the first game by an 11-1 score in five innings before dropping game two by a score of 10-7... the loss to NIU snapped season-high a four-game winning streak for Western Illinois after the team swept Centenary last weekend.

SCOUTING THE JACKRABBITS: South Dakota State enters the weekend on a three-game losing streak after being swept by North Dakota State over the weekend... SDSU will take on No. 14 Nebraska today (April 27) in a doubleheader before the Leathernecks travel to Brookings... SDSU is led at the dish by Ashley Durazo... the senior infielder entered the week with team-highs in batting average (.316), homers (5) and RBI (23)... the Jackrabbits' top pitcher is Pam Nicholson... she is 4-19 with a 4.87 ERA in 35 appearances this season... opponents are batting .313 off Jackrabbit pitching.

THE SERIES: Western Illinois is 6-1 all-time against SDSU... the Leathernecks lost the very first contest between the two teams but have outscored the Jackrabbits 48-13 in the past six meetings... Western Illinois has recorded two shutouts in the past two meetings.

RECORD WATCH: Western Illinois has had tremendous success at the plate this season and has several players positioned to etch their names in the Leatherneck record books... Colleen Biebel currently ranks 3rd in program history in career-runs (118), 7th in career-steals (42) and eighth in career-hits (184) while sitting just three runs away from the top-10 in single-season runs... Beth Golitko sits four doubles away from the career top-10 list with 31 and is four away from entering the single-season top-10 with 12 doubles... Jamie Goss is two RBI away from breaking the single-season record of 45 RBI and ranks third with 110 career-RBI, she is also tied for 9th with 14 career-homers... Megan Kelly and Erin Schlotfeldt each have 33 RBI this year, just four away from entering the single-season top-10... Schlotfeldt also ranks sixth in career-homers (16) and needs just four more RBI to enter the career top-10... her .417 batting average this season is the 3rd best in program history while her .771 slugging percentage would rank fourth if the season ended today... Nikki Marinec is now tied for 10th in single-season runs (35) and ranks 6th in career-walks (61)... Michelle Prieto ranks 9th in program history with 34 career-stolen bases.

POSTSEASON PUSH: The Leathernecks enter the final stretch of the season looking to clinch a spot in The Summit League Tournament... Western Illinois currently sits in fifth place behind IPFW, UMKC, Southern Utah and North Dakota State... the Leathernecks have three Summit League games remaining... Southern Utah has yet to face UMKC and NDSU... no team has clinched a spot with just two weekends of league play remaining.

BICKFORD DOES IT AGAIN: Hailey Bickford picked up a win and hit a home run in the same game for the second time this season when she accomplished the feat against Centenary on April 23... Bickford drove in three runs and struck out four from the circle in 5.0 innings in a 12-3 win... she also homered and picked up a win at IPFW on April 10.

UP NEXT: Western Illinois will finish up the regular season with two doubleheaders against non-league opponents... the Leathernecks will face No. 8 Missouri on May 4 before traveling to in-state rival Illinois on May 7.