ATHENS, Ga. - Western Illinois split a pair of games Saturday (Feb. 18) on Day Two of the Ninth Annual Georgia Classic. The Fighting Leathernecks (3-5) took down Buffalo, 8-3, in the first game before falling short of upsetting No. 14 Georgia, 2-0.

Freshman Sammy Marshall went 2-for-7 on the day to extend her hitting streak to eight games. She leads the team with a .367 (11-for-30) batting average, eight runs scored and ten stolen bases. 

Jamie Goss homered and drove in four runs while Lia Romero picked up two RBIs against Buffalo. Emma Jarrell had two hits on the afternoon and has reached base in five straight contests. 

Kelsey Michelini recorded her third win of the season against Buffalo. She lasted 5 2/3 innings and gave up one unearned run while striking out two. Michelini owns a 1.75 ERA this season and is holding opponents to a .165 batting average.

The Fighting Leathernecks were scheduled to conclude the Ninth Annual Georgia Classic Sunday morning (Feb. 19) vs. Tennessee Tech at 8 a.m., but due to anticipated bad weather, the game has been cancelled.

Western Illinois 8, Buffalo 3
February 18 - 8 a.m.

Goss got the day started off right for Western Illinois. In the second inning, she hit a two-run home run over the left field wall to give Western Illinois a 2-0 lead. Emma Jarrell singled in Goss in the fourth inning before Michelini scored on a wild pitch to make it 4-0.

Goss picked up another RBI when she reached on an error in the fifth inning to put the Leathernecks up 5-0. In the top of the seventh, Romeo drove in two runners with a double down the left field line to push the Western lead to 8-1.

Michelini (3-1) got the win with a stellar performance in the circle. The junior retired 13 straight Bulls until a hit batter in the fifth inning. Hailey Bickford came on in relief in the 6th inning and recorded the final four outs.

Holly Johnson (1-2) was tagged with the loss for Buffalo (2-6). Johnson pitched 3 1/3 innings and gave up four runs on two hits while walking four.

No. 14 Georgia 2, Western Illinois 0
February 18 - 10 a.m.

Western Illinois held Georgia (7-1) to two sacrifice fly RBIs but was unable to overcome the deficit. The Fighting Leathernecks were held to four hits in the loss.

Kristyn Sandberg and Tess Sito recorded the lone RBIs for the Bulldogs in the first inning. Georgia put runners at the corners in the second inning but once again Bickford was able to get out the jam.

The Leathernecks had a chance to tie in the third inning when Marshall reached first on a single and stole second with two outs. However, she was stranded as Briana Williams struck out to end the frame. In the bottom half of the inning, KC Dunne threw out Tiesha Reed as she attempted to advance to third base on a single. Bickford then struck out Brittany Hubbard to end the inning.

Michelini came in at the beginning of the sixth inning and was removed after loading the bases. Bickford relieved Michelini and recorded a strikeout and groundout to end the threat.

Goss singled with one out in the seventh inning and Julia Katsaros came in to pinch run. Romeo hit a sharp line drive to the shortstop Wilson, who caught it and threw to first to double off Katsaros and end the game.

Bickford (0-4) went 5 2/3 innings, giving up two runs on five hits and striking out four. Tess Sito (2-0) got the win for Georgia as she scattered four hits over seven innings.

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