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Romeo vs. Omaha
Pete Kouchis
5
Western Illinois WIU 17-22
10
Winner Omaha Mavericks OMAHA 22-27
Western Illinois WIU
17-22
5
Final
10
Omaha Mavericks OMAHA
22-27
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Western Illinois WIU 0 0 4 0 1 0 0 5 8 1
Omaha Mavericks OMAHA 2 3 0 5 0 0 X 10 13 2

W: Barrow (8-9) L: Hart, Kacyee (8-10)

2
Winner Western Illinois WIU 18-22
1
Omaha Mavericks OMAHA 22-28
Winner
Western Illinois WIU
18-22
2
Final
1
Omaha Mavericks OMAHA
22-28
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Western Illinois WIU 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 1
Omaha Mavericks OMAHA 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 6 0

W: Kirkpatrick, Kayla (7-8) L: Hinrichs (12-14)

Game Recap: Softball | | WIU Athletic Communications

Western Earns Series Win Over Omaha

The Fighting Leathernecks split a doubleheader on Sunday (May 3) and earned the number four seed in the 2015 Summit League Softball Championships.

OMAHA, Neb. – Western Illinois secured the four-seed in the 2015 Summit League Softball Championships by splitting a doubleheader on Sunday (May 3) against Omaha. Western Illinois dropped the opener 10-5 but came back in the second game to defeat the Mavericks 2-1 and take the series. Western finishes the regular season 18-22 overall and 8-10 in The Summit League.

"This was a huge win today," said head coach Holly Van Vlymen. "We knew we needed to get one today to earn the highest seed possible heading in to the tournament. I'm really proud of how they came out today. Kayla pitched maybe her best game of the year. Our offense is doing pretty well. These wins are really good when we have two runs and hold on but we know we can string hits together and keep the pressure on throughout the game."

GAME ONE: Western Illinois 5, Omaha 10 –

The Mavericks took the lead in the first on a two-run home run, but Kacyee Hart bounced back, striking out the side. Omaha tacked on three more in the second to take a 5-0 lead into the third. Brooke Stulga came on for Western to record the final out of the inning.

The Leathernecks rallied in the third, after Sammy Marshall and Teagan Walsh both reach with one out in the inning. A Tierney Bottino single scored Marshall before Lia Romeo followed with her third home run of the year, bringing Western to within 5-4.

Western had a chance to tie the game or take the lead in the fourth, but left Nina Maggio and Karissa Kouchis on the corners. The Mavericks scored five runs in the bottom of the inning, taking a 10-4 lead into the fifth.

Bottino and Romeo got the Leathernecks going in the fifth with back-to-back singles to lead off the inning. A Holly Hoelting sacrifice fly scored Bottino but Romeo would be left at second with Western trailing 10-5.

Western Illinois used two double plays to end the fifth and sixth innings defensively, keeping Omaha off the board but Western could not score in the final two innings, falling 10-5.

Hart suffered the loss, falling to 8-10 on the year. The junior worked 1.2 innings, allowing five earned runs on five hits. Stulga worked the final 4.1 innings, allowing five earned runs on eight hits. Marshall, Bottino and Romeo all collected a pair of hits. Romeo and Bottino collected the RBIs for Western.

GAME TWO: Western Illinois 2, Omaha 1 –

Western scored twice in the first inning. After Marshall led off the game with a walk, the senior came around to score on a Bottino sacrifice fly. Romeo doubled Western's lead with her second home run of the doubleheader.

Kayla Kirkpatrick found herself in a jam in the bottom of the first, but Kirkpatrick forced a pair of pop outs to keep the Mavs off the board.

Neither team would threaten until late in the game when Omaha got one back in the sixth on a lead off home run. The Mavericks loaded the bases later in the inning, but Kirkpatrick forced a ground ball to keep Western in front 2-1.

Kirkpatrick struck out two batters in the seventh to secure the win for Western. The senior finished with five strikeouts, tying her career-high. She allowed one run on six hits to earn her seventh win of the year and second of the weekend. Romeo had two of Western's three hits during the game.

Western Illinois faces South Dakota State to begin the 2015 Summit League Softball Championships. In a single-elimination game, the Leathernecks and Jackrabbits are scheduled to play at 3 p.m. in Fargo, North Dakota on Wednesday (May 6). 
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