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Hoelting vs. Green Bay 2015
Tom Campbell
13
Winner Western Illinois WIU 4-5
3
Green Bay GB 2-4
Winner
Western Illinois WIU
4-5
13
Final
3
Green Bay GB
2-4
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Western Illinois WIU 0 0 1 0 7 1 4 13 18 0
Green Bay GB 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 3 6 1

W: Hart, Kacyee (2-2) L: SANDERSON, Heather (0-1)

0
Green Bay GB 2-5
1
Winner Western Illinois WIU 5-5
Green Bay GB
2-5
0
Final
1
Western Illinois WIU
5-5
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Green Bay GB 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 0
Western Illinois WIU 0 0 1 0 0 0 X 1 2 1

W: Kirkpatrick, Kayla (2-3) L: CAVIN, Briana (1-3) S: Stulga, Brooke (1)

Game Recap: Softball | | WIU Athletic Communications

Leathernecks Sweep Phoenix

Western Illinois defeated Green Bay 13-3 to open the day before winning 1-0 to complete the sweep.


CROWN POINT, Ind. - Karissa Kouchis and Holly Hoelting sparked a seven-run rally in the fifth inning against Green Bay on Saturday (March 7). The two Leathernecks hit their first home runs of the season, helping Western (5-5) to a 13-3 victory over the Phoenix (2-5) to begin the day. Western used a strong performance from Kayla Kirkpatrick to come away with a 1-0 victory to end the day, and complete the sweep.

"It was awesome to see them come out today. This is the team that we know and we see in practice day after day," said assistant coach Beth Golitko. "I'm just happy that they were finally able to string some hits together and get the runners in. The practice is showing on the field and I was really proud of them, especially Karissa and Holly sending those two shots over the fence. We've been waiting for one of these wins. Everything was working today."

GAME ONE: Western Illinois 13, Green Bay 3 - 

Following a scoreless first and second inning, Western took a 1-0 lead in the third after loading the bases and taking advantage of an error on the catcher. A two-run home run gave the Phoenix the lead in the bottom of the third, before the Leathernecks broke the game open in the fifth. 

Trailing 2-1, Kouchis took a 3-2 pitch to right field, hitting her second career home run and the first of the year. Sammy Marshall followed with a base hit, and after stealing second, was driven in by Kelsey Marlow. Two batters later, Tierney Bottino drew a walk, setting the table for Hoelting. The sophomore crushed the third pitch she saw over the centerfield wall, giving the Leathernecks a 6-2 lead. Nina Maggio and Rachel Beatty kept the inning going with back-to-back singles, and were later brought home by Kouchis, sending Western into the bottom of the fifth with an 8-2 lead. 

Kacyee Hart (2-2) retired nine consecutive batters following the home run, allowing Western to tack on in the sixth. Teagan Walsh picked up a single to lead off the sixth and crossed home plate on a Tierney Bottino double. 

Leading 9-2, Western added four more runs in the top of the seventh, capped off by consecutive base hits from Walsh and Marlow to score Beatty and Kouchis. Lia Romeo's RBI double made it 13-2. The Phoenix scored one run in the bottom half of the frame, but Hart completed her complete game victory, striking out four. 

Western's 18 hits in the ballgame is tied for seventh all-time since 1983, and the most since 2011. Maggio, Beatty, and Kouchis all had three hits. Meanwhile Marshall, Walsh, and Marlow collected two. Romeo, Bottino, and Hoelting each had one, as every Leatherneck had a base hit during the first game.

"I love seeing the fact that when the top half struggled, the bottom half steps it up or vice versa," Golitko said. "That's the best part about this team, that if one part isn't working, the other is. I have full confidence in all these hitters to get the job done and they proved it today."

GAME TWO: Western Illinois 1, Green Bay 0 - 

In a complete contrast from the first game, Western Illinois and Green Bay were locked into a pitcher's duel. Kayla Kirkpatrick forced the Phoenix to strand runners in the first, third, fifth, and sixth innings. The senior pitched 6.1 innings, walking one and striking out two as she moved to 2-3 on the year.

Western broke the scoreless deadlock in the bottom of the third on a Teagan Walsh sacrifice fly to right to score Taylor Messer, who led off the inning with a walk. In the third, Green Bay had runners at the corners, but Kirkpatrick forced a fly out to to retire the side. After working out of a bases loaded jam in the fifth, Kirkpatrick entered the seventh with a 1-0 lead. After a fly out to right, back-to-back base hits put runners at first and second. Brooke Stulga entered the game and closed the door, recording her first career save and completing the sweep. 

"The pitchers did great today," Golitko said. "They had full command out there. They were able to shut the team down right when they needed to. They kept their cool on the mound and got the outs when we needed them."

Western Illinois will return to the field on Wednesday (March 11), as the 2015 Rainbow Wahine Classic kicks off. The Leathernecks will play the hosts, Hawaii at 11:00 p.m.
 
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