CONWAY, Ark. - Day two of the Central Arkansas Invitational proved to be a tough task for Western Illinois softball. Some late-game heroics from Teagan Walsh and Tierney Bottino sent the Fighting Leathernecks (10-3) home with a pair of wins. Western Illinois defeated Drexel 4-3 to start the day before defeating hosts Central Arkansas 7-6 in eight innings.

"We plan a tough schedule to put us in these situations," said head coach Holly Van Vlymen. "We know our conference games are going to be close and we're going to be put in tough situations. Right now, we're just getting more confident, regardless of the situation, to do what we need to do to win."

GAME ONE: WESTERN ILLINOIS 4, DREXEL 3:

Western Illinois started the day with a two-run first inning. Briana Williams was hit by a pitch and stole second and was driven in Teagan Walsh for her team-leading 15th RBI on the year. Walsh then advanced to third and scored on a pair of passed balls.

The Dragons responded with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning, After Liana Newton led off the game with a double off of Kayla Kirkpatrick, she scored on a Kim Chan single. Chan then scored an unearned run on a Shelby Taylor double.

Kirkpatrick then went into cruise control, shutting down the Dragon offense, allowing only four base runners over the next four innings.

The Leatherneck offense put runners in scoring position in every inning except the fifth, but they were unsuccessful in finding a timely hit until the seventh. 

With the game still tied at two, Williams and Walsh led the inning off with back-to-back singles. After Megg Kelly laid down a bunt to advance both runners 60 feet, Tierney Bottino came up to bat with one out and singled to score in both runners.

"We came out and scored right away but they responded and Tierney came through when we needed her. It was huge," Van Vlymen said.

Leading 4-2, the Dragons matched the Leathernecks with back-to-back singles and a sac bunt to start the bottom half of the seventh, Teagan Walsh came on in relief for Kirkpatrick. The Dragons cut the lead to 4-3 after a passed ball before Walsh got the second out on a ground ball to third. Walsh loaded the bases on a pair of walks but closed the door on the Dragons, forcing another ground ball for the third and final out.

Kirkpatrick was awarded her fourth win of the year, while Walsh picked up her first save of the year.

"Kayla did a great job. Her and Taylor worked really well together and she bounced back from yesterday," Van Vlymen said. "She minimized her pitches and went right at the hitters. Starting the season, things are different from the fall. It's an adjustment for the catchers to get to know the pitchers but things are starting to come together."

Bottino led the way with two runs batted in, while Walsh went 3-for-4 from the plate.

GAME TWO: WESTERN ILLINOIS 7, CENTRAL ARKANSAS 6 (8 INNINGS):

After both offenses failed to score in the first, the Leathernecks scored five times in the bottom of the second inning. After a Megg Kelly walk, Lia Romeo and Tierney Bottino singled to load the bases. After a two-run double by Karissa Kouchis, Sammy Marshall hit her third home run of the season, giving Western a 5-0 lead.

"Some days we're going to have the top, middle or bottom part of the order produce, but it was good to see the bottom of the order come through today. A lot of them are coming in extra to watch film and they are much more confident. From top to bottom we produced today," Van Vlymen added.

The Bears of Central Arkansas began chipping away with runs in the fourth and fifth innings, reducing the Leatherneck lead to 5-2.

Western responded with a run of their own in the fifth, thanks to an RBI single by Romeo.

Central Arkansas loaded the bases in the seventh and with one pitch, tied the game on a grand slam, forcing Hailey Bickford out of the game. Teagan Walsh again came on in relief and eventually got Western out of the inning.

After the Leathernecks stranded a runner at the third in the bottom half of the seventh, the game went into extra innings. Due to the international tiebreaker rule, a runner was placed on second to start the inning. After a walk and a sacrifice bunt to put Bears at second and third, a botched squeeze play and a ground out kept the game tied.

With Alexis Ensminger running for Kelly at second, Romeo advanced her to third. Tierney Bottino once again came through for Western, hitting a sacrifice fly to right to score Ensminger, completing the sweep with a 7-6 victory.

Walsh was awarded the victory and is 1-0 on the year. Marshall, Romeo and Bottino all picked up an RBI. Marshall was 2-for-3 against the Bears.

"With Teagan, she thrives in those situations," Van Vlymen said. "I never questioned putting her in. She's going to get ahead and she's going to get outs. I was really happy with her performance."

The Fighting Leathernecks will take their 10-3 record into Carbondale, Ill. next weekend for the Coach B Classic. Western Illinois will face Murray State, Southern Illinois, Kansas and Miami (OH) beginning March. 1.

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