CARBONDALE, Ill. - Western Illinois softball dropped two games in its final day at the Coach B Classic hosted by SIU-Carbondale giving the Leathernecks a 1-3 record in the tournament and a 5-12 regular season record.
Sunday, March 4 - 9 a.m.
Northern Illinois 5, Western Illinois Softball 0
The Leathernecks found themselves down 1-0 early when leadoff Husky Nicole Gremillion singled to right center, swiped second and scored on a single up the middle by Stephanie Tofft before the defense could record an out.
The Huskies added two more in the top of the third and fourth innings. In the third, Tofft tripled down the right field line with no outs to begin the inning and a two-run homerun to left made it 3-0 Huskies. In the top of the fourth, the leadoff drew a walk but was caught stealing second by Leatherneck catcher Lia Romeo. Three consecutive singles loaded the bases and forced a pitching change from Kelsey Michelini to Teagan Walsh. A fielder's choice and sacrifice fly plated two making it 5-0.
Leatherneck KC Dunne ended Northern Illinois pitcher Megan Dortch's no hitter with a leadoff single to left field in the bottom of the fourth inning. Jamie Goss followed it up with another outfield hit to right putting two on with no outs. After advancing to second and third on a Husky passed ball, the defense ended the scoring threat stranding both.
Northern Illinois had bases loaded in the top of the fifth inning, but the Leatherneck defense kept them off the board getting a ground out at home and ending the inning with a 1-2-5 double play.
Right fielder Monica Rondon drew a walk to start the bottom of the fifth and was moved up 60 feet on an Emma Jarrell sacrifice bunt. Briana Williams singled to left and stole second to put Leathernecks on second and third, where they stayed as a ground out and strike out retired the scoring effort.
Both teams were held scoreless in the sixth and seventh innings making 5-0 the final score, despite Jarrell's attempt to spark a comeback in the bottom of the seventh with a one-out single and stolen base that put her in scoring position.
Michelini received the loss evening her to 4-4 on the year. In her 3.1 innings of work, Northern Illinois scored five runs on ten hits. Walsh held the Huskies scoreless in her 3.2 innings pitched in relief.
Western Illinois was held to four total hits, all of which were singles coming from different batters, and two stolen bases in the contest.
Sunday, March 4 - 11 a.m.
Wright State 4, Western Illinois Softball 2
After giving up three Raider runs in the bottom of the first inning, all unearned, the Fighting Leathernecks could not close the gap falling to Wright State by a final score of 4-2.
Western Illinois looked to have the momentum in game two when Sammy Marshall started the contest off with a single up the middle and two stolen bases putting her at third with no outs. But the Raiders recorded three consecutive outs to keep the Leathernecks from taking an early advantage.
In the bottom of the first, Wright State put five consecutive Raiders on the base paths via three hits and two errors before the first out could be recorded by the Leathernecks. The Raiders scored three unearned runs on three hits and two errors for an early 3-0 lead.
Lia Romeo was hit by a pitch to start off the second inning for the Leathernecks. A double from starting pitcher Teagan Walsh put runners on second and third with no outs, but a Husky double play and strikeout would keep Western Illinois from cashing in.
The Leathernecks had another leadoff hitter reach in the top of the third, when Briana Williams hit an infield single, but she would not get further than second base before the Husky defense retired the side.
In the bottom of the fourth, Kelsey Michelini replaced Teagan Walsh on the mound and Alex Pfleiger entered the game at the catcher position. The Raiders tallied a leadoff double to right center followed by a single to right that allowed the first earned run of the game to cross, making it 4-0 Huskies.
With one out in the top of the fifth, the Leathernecks had runners on second and third after Emma Jarrell reached on an error and Williams' earned her second infield hit of the game. KC Dunne singled plating the first run of the game for Western Illinois and Jamie Goss followed her up with an RBI sacrifice fly to right cutting the deficit in half, 4-2.
The Huskies had runners reach second and third in the bottom of the fifth with two outs, but Michelini's second strikeout of the game stranded the pair.
Both teams were hitless and scoreless in the sixth and seventh making the final game score 4-2 in favor of the Raiders. Walsh took her second loss of the season falling to 0-2 overall and Western Illinois now has a 5-12 record on the year.
The Leathernecks knocked five hits in the contest, two of which came from Williams. Dunne and Goss each had an RBI. Marshall picked up two stolen bases bringing her season total to a perfect 21-for-21.
Western Illinois opens Summit League play next weekend against IUPUI in Indianapolis, Ind. The series begins with a Saturday (March 10) double header beginning at 11 a.m. and ends on Sunday (March 11) with a single game beginning at 11 a.m.
#WIUAthletics
#WIUSoftball
