INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Western Illinois softball picked up a pair of victories as Summit League play began on Saturday (March 22). The Fighting Leathernecks (15-9) defeated IUPUI 9-1 in five innings to start the day before completing the sweep with a 5-3 win in the second game. With the sweep, head coach Holly Van Vlymen earned her 200th career victory.

“It's a huge accomplishment and there is no way I could have done this without my husband and the players. They're the ones that do all the hard work,” Van Vlymen said. “And I've had great assistants and staffs throughout the years and my support staff with the other coaches at Western.”

GAME ONE: WESTERN ILLINOIS 9, IUPUI 1 (5 INNINGS):

Western Illinois manufactured a run in the first to go in front 1-0 after Sammy Marshall led the game off with a single. Following a sac bunt, Marshall stole third and came home on an overthrow to third base.

Hailey Bickford got the start and forced the Jaguars to strand a one-out double in the bottom of the first, allowing Western to add on to the lead in the second. After Karissa Kouchis walked to lead off the inning, Megg Kelly hit her second home run of the year, giving Western a 3-0 advantage.

A lead off home run from IUPUI in the second cut the lead to 3-1 but Bickford bounced back, striking out the side. Bickford ended the game with a season-high six strikeouts. After scoreless third and fourth innings, the Leatherneck offense exploded for six runs in the fifth.

With one out in the fifth, Kouchis and Tierney Bottino both reached on singles to put runners at first and second. A wild pitch advanced both runners, setting the table for Kelly, who promptly picked up her third RBI on a single to left. Alexis Ensminger came on to run for Kelly and stole second before Monica Rondón tripled to right, plating both Ensminger and Bottino. IUPUI then made a pitching change, the second of the game, but Nina Maggio and Marshall continued to keep the pressure on with a single and double respectively. Teagan Walsh finished the scoring for the Leathernecks, driving in Marshall from third on an RBI single to left.

Bickford pitched five strong innings, allowing only three hits en route to her fourth victory of the year.

“We tested her a bit early in the year with some rough games but the only way you can get better is by challenging yourself,” Van Vlymen said. “She really did a great job today. I could tell from warm ups that today was going to be a good day.”

Both Marshall and Rondón were a perfect three-for-three from the plate. Kelly and Maggio both picked up two hits each.

GAME TWO: WESTERN ILLINOIS 5, IUPUI 3:

Sammy Marshall once again got Western Illinois off to a quick start, doubling to center to lead off the game. After a Briana Williams walk, both Marshall and Williams stole third and second respectively before advancing on a wild pitch to go in front 1-0.

The Jaguars tied the game in the second on a lead off home run and nearly took the lead on the very next pitch. With the game tied at one, Roni Patterson thought she hit a go-ahead home run but Karissa Kouchis robbed Patterson of the home run.

Western Illinois took the lead back in the, courtesy of a pair of Marshall stolen bases and a passed ball.

IUPUI tied the game in the bottom half of the third and took the lead on a sac fly in the fifth but the Leathernecks responded in the next half-inning. After her big defensive play earlier in the game, Kouchis led off the sixth with a double and scored on a Megg Kelly double to tie the game. Monica Rondón plated Alexis Ensminger, who was running for Kelly, on a double of her own and scored on a Marshall single to give Western a 5-3 lead.

Kayla Kirkpatrick got the win for Western Illinois, while Hailey Bickford pitched the last two, earning the save. Kirkpatrick allowed only two earned runs while striking out a pair of batters.

“She worked through everything and finished strong,” Van Vlymen added. “She stayed positive and went at batters. She didn't hit the panic button at all and finished strong.”

Marshall was a four-for-four from the plate with four stolen bases.

The Leathernecks and Jaguars wrap up their three-game series Sunday (March 23) at 11 a.m.