MACOMB, Ill. - Fighting Leatherneck softball defeated the Eagles of Morehead State 10-3 in Game One of the home-opening doubleheader before Game Two was called due to darkness with both teams tied at three.

"I was really happy with how we came out in the first game and took charge," said head coach Holly Van Vlymen. "In the second game, we talked about how we need to come through in the second game of doubleheaders and don't necessarily come through when we need to. We need to come out with the same urgency as we do in the first game."

GAME ONE: WESTERN ILLINOIS 10, MOREHEAD STATE 3:

Morehead State jumped out to a 2-0 lead following a two-run home run in the first, but the Leatherneck offense responded with a three-run bottom half of the frame.

Following back-to-back base hits by Sammy Marshall and Briana Williams, Teagan Walsh walked to load the bases. Lia Romeo manufactured a run, scoring Marshall on a ground ball to cut the lead to 2-1. Western then tied the game on a wild pitch and took the lead on a passed ball.

The game remained 3-2 until the fourth, when the Leatherneck offense broke the game open. Megg Kelly started the rally with a one-out single and was brought to second after Taylor Messer walked. Emma Jarrell was then hit by a pitch to load the bases. With one swing, Marshall extended the lead to 7-2 after hitting a grand slam to left.

The Eagles cut the lead to 7-3 ona home run in the top half of the fifth before the Leathernecks scored a pair on unearned runs on an Jarrell single to right.

The run in the fifth ended a stretch of five in a row retired for starting pitcher Kacyee Hart and was the first hit allowed since the first.

Western added another in the sixth, bringing the final score the 10-3.

Hart picked up her team-leading sixth win, finishing the game with a career-high eight strikeouts, allowing only three hits over the seven innings.

"Her curveball was moving a lot better today and overall she just had a lot better command," Van Vlymen said. "We spent some time yesterday working on pitches and going over the little things and she did a great job with that. I was really happy with her performance today."

Marshall finished the game with three hits and a career-high four runs batted in. Megg Kelly finished with two hits, while Emma Jarrell collected a pair of RBIs.

GAME TWO: WESTERN ILLINOIS 3, MOREHEAD STATE 3:

Western fell behind for the second-straight game but once again responded. After Sammy Marshall and Briana Williams led the inning off with base hits, Teagan Walsh hit her team-leading 30th RBI, scoring Marshall to cut the Eagle lead to 2-1.

Starting pitcher Kayla Kirkpatrick forced the Eagles to leave runners on in every inning but the second, when she snagged a line drive and doubled off the runner at first, to keep the game within striking distance.

"We tried to work a bit differently in terms of calling pitches today and she did a great job," Van Vlymen said. "It's a marathon though. You have to learn from every experience."

In the fourth, Holly Hoelting led off the inning with a walk. After Alexis Ensminger came on to run, Marshall delivered again, this time with a triple to left scoring the freshman and tying the ballgame at two.

Western took the lead the very next inning, after Walsh scored on an error.

Morehead State hit a home run in the top of the sixth to tie the game at three. Western would have one more chance in the bottom of the inning, but went down in order before the umpires gathered and decided to call the game due to darkness.

Marshall and Walsh both collected a pair of hits in Game Two of the doubleheader while Kirkpatrick allowed only one earned run over six innings of work while striking out four.

Western Illinois is back in action at Mary Ellen McKee Stadium on Saturday with a doubleheader against the South Dakota State Jackrabbits beginning at 1 p.m. The finale of the three-game series is scheduled for Sunday at 12 p.m.