INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - The Fighting Leatherneck softball team opened Summit League competition at IUPUI Saturday with the two teams splitting day one of the two-day series.
The Leathernecks sit 6-13 overall and 1-1 in league play after the day, while the Jaguars stand 6-11 overall and also own a 1-1 Summit League record.
Game #1 Western Illinois 4, IUPUI 1
A season and career high ten
strikeout performance from Kelsey Michelini in the circle, and solo
homeruns from Jamie Goss, KC Dunne and Ashley Campbell combined for a
4-1 Western Illinois victory over IUPUI to open Summit League
play.
The Fighting Leathernecks took an early 1-0 lead in the
top of the first inning when Goss ripped a one-ball, one-strike shot
over the left field wall, marking the first hit of the ball game, and her
second homerun of the 2012 season.
A hit by pitch and a single
to start the first for the Jaguars put runners at first and second
before an infield fly and two Michelini strikeouts ended the threat.
Catcher
Lia Romeo got the hitting started in the second when she ripped a
double to right center, but was stranded in scoring position keeping the
game 1-0 in favor of the Leathernecks. Michelini sat the Jaguars down in order in the bottom of the second on two strike outs and a ground out.
In
the top of the third inning Western Illinois tacked on another run on a
solo jack to left center from Dunne. The hit marked the first homerun
of the freshman centerfielder's Leatherneck career. Goss kept the
pressure on earning a single to center, followed by a Megan Kelly walk
but the inning end leaving both on base. Michelini then recorded all
three outs, getting two Jaguars swinging and catching one looking at
strike three bringing her game total to seven after just three innings
of play.
Western Illinois tried to generate a two-out rally in
the fourth on a Williams single down the left line followed by a bunt
single by Marshall. On the play, IUPUI failed to cover third base
allowing the Leathernecks to advance up to second and third before a
ground out put the inning in the books with no score.
After
giving up a lead off single, Michelini and company recorded a ground out
and two more strikeouts to keep the Jaguars off the board and maintain
the 2-0 shutout.
Goss reached base on an error to start the
fifth, followed by a Kelly single to left that put runners at first and
third. Designated player Teagan Walsh hit a one-out single up the
middle, but Goss was caught at home for the second out of the inning. A
fielder's choice failed to produce an out for the Jaguars, making it
bases loaded with one out, before a ground out retired the Leatherneck
effort.
After an IUPUI one-out single in the bottom of the fifth,
Western Illinois defense turned a 6-4-3 double play, the first in
Summit League play, to end the inning.
The Leathernecks plated
another insurance run in the sixth. Williams reached after being thumped
by a pitch and was moved to scoring position on a Sammy Marshall
sacrifice bunt, but was caught trying to steal third for the first out
of the inning. Dunne kept the scoring drive alive with a single to left
and wheeled around to score on a one-out double to right center by Goss.
With
one out and Jaguars at first and second, a single up the middle plated
IUPUI's lone run of the game making it 3-1 after six innings of play.
The
Leathernecks got the run back in the top of the seventh when Campbell
sent the third solo homerun of the game out of the park to straight away
center field giving the game its final score of 4-1.
IUPUI made a
run for it in the bottom of the seventh, stringing together two singles
to start the inning. An error on the play allowed the runners to move
up a bag with no outs prompting Hailey Bickford to finish out the game
for Michelini on the mound. Western Illinois got an out at home, caught a
runner in a pickle and fielded a ground out make the 4-1 win final.
Michelini
earned her fifth win going six innings for the Leathernecks and
Bickford picked up her first save of the season pitching out of a jam in
the seventh.
Goss went two-for-three with two RBI to lead
Western Illinois. Dunne and Campbell each picked up one RBI going
two-for-four and one-for-four, respectively.
Game #2 IUPUI 8, Western Illinois 6
Heading
into the seventh, Western Illinois was trailing to IUPUI 8-3. The
Leathernecks sparked a comeback but fell short dropping game two of the
double header by a final score of 8-6. Teagan Walsh was tagged with the
loss, her first of League play and third of the season.
It was
Western Illinois who scored first staking a 1-0 early lead in the top of
the first. Sammy Marshall got the inning started with a leadoff bunt
single and promptly swiped second base to reach scoring position. After
Dunne moved her up another 60 feet with a sacrifice bunt, she came in to
score beating a play at the plate on a fielder's choice by Goss.
After
a scoreless bottom of the first and second inning, IUPUI began an
offensive surge. Two singles and a hit by pitch loaded the bases and a
hit by pitch brought in the first Jaguar run of the day. A two-out
double to left center plated two more runs giving IUPUI a 3-1 lead.
Marshall
led off the third with a walk and a stolen base, but was stranded in
scoring position. IUPUI took over with a solo homerun to start the
bottom of the inning making it 4-1. Two consecutive walks and a double
steal followed putting Jaguars on second and third with one out. A two
RBI double brought the score to 6-1 in favor of IUPUI.
The
Leathernecks began to chip away at the five run deficit with a solo
homerun to center field by Campbell, her second homerun of the day and
third of the 2012 season.
IUPUI earned a leadoff single in the
bottom of the fourth and moved the runner up to third on a sacrifice
bunt and ground out. A single through the right side plated the run
bringing the score to 7-2.
With two outs in the top of the fifth,
Goss smacked her second solo homerun of the day, but the Jaguars got
the run back in the bottom of the fifth making it 8-3 IUPUI.
After
a scoreless sixth inning, Western Illinois began a comeback charge in
the top of the seventh. Briana Williams singled to open the frame,
Marshall followed with a bunt single and KC Dunne came through in the
clutch sending a three-run shot over the wall in left field prompting a
Jaguar pitching change. A walk and a hit by pitch followed by a Walsh
single put Leathernecks on second and third with one out. A fly out and a
hard line-out ended the rally and made the final 8-6 Jaguars.
Marshall
went two-for-three in the game picking up two stolen bases. Dunne
turned in three RBI going one-for-three, Goss picked up two RBI going
one-for-four at the plate and Campbell earned one RBI going
one-for-four.
Western Illinois takes on IUPUI on Sunday (March 11) to determine the Summit League series winner. First pitch is set for noon.
