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Western Illinois University Athletics

Lia Romeo
7
Winner South Dakota USD 18-22-1
4
Western Illinois WIU 15-19
Winner
South Dakota USD
18-22-1
7
Final
4
Western Illinois WIU
15-19
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
South Dakota USD 0 0 4 0 3 0 0 7 9 0
Western Illinois WIU 0 1 0 1 0 0 2 4 9 3

W: Madison Frain (10-9) L: Hart, Kacyee (8-9) S: Rachel Cue (2)

4
Winner South Dakota USD 19-22-1
3
Western Illinois WIU 15-20
Winner
South Dakota USD
19-22-1
4
Final
3
Western Illinois WIU
15-20
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
South Dakota USD 0 0 0 1 2 0 1 4 9 3
Western Illinois WIU 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 3 5 1

W: Rachel Cue (8-12) L: Kirkpatrick, Kayla (4-8)

Game Recap: Softball | | Matt Fischer

Romeo and Marshall Make History to Kick Off Senior Weekend

Western Illinois fell twice to South Dakota on Saturday (April 25).

MACOMB, Ill. – Western Illinois dropped a pair of Summit League contests on Saturday (April 25) but not without two seniors making history. The Leathernecks fell to 15-20 overall and 5-9 in Summit League play. In the games, Sammy Marshall became the all-time hits leader at Western Illinois, while Lia Romeo broke a Summit League record for most hit by pitches in a career.

"I thought our pitching did well. Kacyee was effectively wild by changing her speeds and changing her spots. Kayla threw a great game as well hitting her spots and mixing her speeds. I'm really proud of this senior class though. They've done a lot of great things while they've been here."

GAME ONE: Western Illinois 4, South Dakota 7 –

The Leathernecks grabbed an early lead on a Karissa Kouchis RBI single that scored Nina Maggio. Western would take the 1-0 lead into the third, inning, but South Dakota responded with four unearned runs off of Kacyee Hart in the third to take a 4-1 lead.

Holly Hoelting cut into the deficit with her fourth home run of the year to make the score 4-2 but three more Coyote runs made the score 7-2 heading into the seventh.

The Leathernecks would make the Coyotes work, beginning with a Kouchis lead off single. Marshall following with a triple to make the score 7-3 and Bottino brought in the senior with an RBI single of her own.

With the score 7-4, USD made a pitching change and Western would leave Bottino at first as the final out was recorded.

Hart was hit with the loss, allowing three earned runs in seven innings. Hart struck out six batters while holding South Dakota to nine hits.

Marshall's triple was the 228th hit of her career, a new Western Illinois career record. Maggio and Kouchis also had a pair of hits in the first game.

GAME TWO: Western Illinois 3, South Dakota 4 -

The Leathernecks would again take an early lead, this time manufacturing a run in the first inning. The Leathernecks made it 2-0 in the third, taking advantage of a dropped fly ball in left off the bat of Teagan Walsh that scored Marshall.

South Dakota chipped away, getting one run in the fourth, before a two-run single in the fifth but USD up 3-2 after five innings of play.

Western tied it up in the sixth after Kelsey Marlow led the inning off with a double and came around to score on the third Coyote error of the game.
With the contest tied at three, a solo home run in the seventh put the Coyotes in front 4-3.

The Leathernecks put runners at first and second with only one out in the bottom half of the seventh, but Walsh and Lia Romeo were left on the bases.
Kayla Kirkpatrick scattered nine hits and allowed four runs in the loss. The senior did not walk a single batter in the game.

Romeo was hit by a pitch in the seventh inning, the 56th hit by pitch for the Homer Glen, Illinois native, setting a new Summit League record.

Western Illinois looks to bounce back on Senior Day against South Dakota.
The finale of the three-game series is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. Prior to first pitch, Hailey Bickford, Kayla Kirkpatrick, Marshall, Dagmar Ralphs, Romeo, and Walsh will be recognized. 
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