Box Score FARGO, N.D. - Western Illinois fell 10-2 in five innings to IUPUI to open the 2014 Summit League Championships on Wednesday (May 7).
The Leathernecks had runners on second and third in the first, but were unable to find a crucial hot to give them an early lead.
The Jaguars then jumped in front, scoring nine runs on a lead off home run and a pair of three-run homers in the bottom half.
The Leathernecks had a chance to begin chipping away in the third but left the bases loaded. Western put runners at second and third in the fourth inning as well with two away, but the rally would fall short.
The deficit would increase, as another solo home run gave the Jaguars a 10-0 lead heading into the fifth.
Monica Rondón gave Western Illinois hope, hitting a two-run home run, but the rally would stall.
Sammy Marshall ended the game with a pair of doubles and a stolen base for WIU. Rondón,
Tierney Bottino and
Briana Williams collected the other three hits for the Leathernecks.
Kayla Kirkpatrick worked four innings of relief work for Western, replacing
Hailey Bickford in the first.
The Fighting Leathernecks now face a must-win situation in the second round of the tournament against South Dakota State Thursday (May 8) at 3 p.m. in Fargo, N.D.
