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Softball WIU Athletic Communications

Jayhawk Invitational on Tap for Fighting Leatherneck Softball

Western to take on Kansas, Kansas City, and Northern Iowa

TOURNAMENT INFORMATION
WHEN AND WHERE:
Jayhawk Invitational
Friday, March 11 - Sunday, March 13
Lawrence, Kansas
Rock Chalk Park
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GAME 1
Western Illinois at Kansas
March 11, 4:30 p.m. CT

GAME 2
Western Illinois vs. Kansas City
March 11, 7 p.m. CT

GAME 3
Western Illinois at Kansas
March 12, 11:30 a.m. CT

GAME 4
Western Illinois vs. Northern Iowa
March 13, 9 a.m. CT

GAME 5
Western Illinois vs. Kansas City
March 13, 11:30 a.m. CT

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WIU 2016 STATS: 
HERE
 
KANSAS: Stats | Website
KANSAS CITY: Stats | Website
NORTHERN IOWA: Stats | Website
 
COVERAGE

LIVE STATS: 
Game One: HERE
Game Two: HERE
Game Three: HERE
Game Four: HERE
Game Four: HERE

AUDIO: 
Game One: HERE
Game Three: HERE
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
PRESEASON INFORMATION

2016 Preseason Quick Facts (.PDF)
2016 Preseason Record Book (.PDF)
2016 Schedule Release
2016 Preseason Video
 
MACOMB, Ill. – The Western Illinois softball team is preparing to hit the road for ten straight days as a part of their spring break road trip that consists of 12 games. The Leathernecks will make their first stop in Lawrence, Kansas for the Jayhawk Invitational on March 11-13. Western opens play against tournament hosts on Friday at 4:30 p.m., followed by a contest against Kansas City at 7. Tournament play continues on Saturday with a rematch against Kansas at 11:30 a.m. The Leathernecks play their final two games against Northern Iowa and Kansas City on Sunday at 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
 
SCHEDULE NOTE: Due to weather, the original schedule for the Jayhawk Invitational has been altered as of Wednesday, March 9. Please refer to the Fighting Leatherneck softball schedule page on goleathernecks.com for the revised schedule and any updates throughout the weekend.
 
SCOUTING THE ROOS: Kansas City is 5-9 entering the weekend… Katie Kelley has started all 14 games and has driven in 16 runs while batting .366 with 15 hits and one home run… Redshirt freshman Rachel Pate is batting .279 with 12 hits, nine RBI, and .372 slugging percentage… Brooke Parker leads the team with seven stolen bases… As a team, four pitchers have combined for a 4.52 ERA… The 'Roos are led by Amber Grove in the circle, as she has compiled four wins with 31 strikeouts and 35 earned runs.
 
SERIES HISTORY: The Leathernecks lead the all-time series 48-23… The 'Roos have taken eight out of the last 10 meetings, including an 8-0 win in six innings back in 2014. From 2006 to 2010, Western took 12 straight from Kansas City.
 
SCOUTING THE JAYHAWKS: Kansas boasts an 11-8 record heading into their home invitational… As a team, the Jayhawks rank 16th in the nation in home runs per game (1.26) and first in fielding percentage (.984)… Kansas went a perfect 4-0 last weekend, leading Chaley Brickey and Andie Formby to sweep Big 12 player and pitcher of the week… Brickey currently leads the Big 12 with 22 runs scored… Chavez leads the team with a .400 batting average… She has driven in 22 runs and has hit six home runs… In the circle, the Jayhawks have two pitchers that have four wins apiece, combining for a 3.57 ERA.
 
SERIES HISTORY: Western trails the all-time series 5-10… The Leathernecks dropped the last two meetings by scores of 4-9 in 2009 and 0-3 in 2010.
 
SCOUTING THE PANTHERS: The Panthers have compiled a 15-6 overall record this season… Chelsea Ross leads the way with a .400 batting and .617 slugging percentage… She has drove in 21 runs, with 24 hits and three home runs… Alyssa Buchanan has played in 17 games and is batting .516 with 15 RBIs and three home runs… Buchanan also leads the way on the mound… She has compiled eight wins with 29 strikeouts and 13 earned runs… The Panthers rank high in several national statistic categories… 81st in batting average (.303), 48th in ERA (2.52), 43rd in scoring (6.10), 64th in slugging percentage (.460), 58th in stolen bases per game (1.52), and 44th in win-loss percentage (.714).
 
SERIES HISTORY: UNI has the 29-21 edge over Western in the all-time series… This is the second time the two teams have faced off in 2016… The Leathernecks fell to the Panthers earlier this season by a score of 8-0 in five innings at the UNI-Dome Classic… That meeting marked the third straight time the Purple and Gold has been shutout by the Panthers.
 
LEATHERNECK LEADERS: Karissa Kouchis leads the Leathernecks from the batter's box with a .404 batting average… The senior outfielder has compiled 23 hits from the leadoff position, including two doubles, one triple, and seven runs scored… Tierney Bottino leads the team with 10 RBIs and one home run… Emily Ira leads the team from the mound with a 3-6 record and 53 strikeouts.
 
LAST TIME OUT: Western went 3-1 this past weekend at the Miami Invitational in Oxford, Ohio, taking on Canisius and Miami of Ohio twice on back-to-back days… Emily Ira pitched Western's first no-hitter since 2010 en route to an 8-0 victory in five innings over Canisius on Saturday… Tierney Bottino contributed with a three-run home run in the victory… She also hit a walk-off double in Western's 2-1 victory over Canisius, and then hit a walk-off single later that afternoon against Miami (Ohio)… Payton Abbott batted .455 over the weekend with five hits and two runs… Ira secured two wins over the weekend, posting a .75 ERA and gave up only two hits, one earned run, and struck out 16 batters... Rachel Beatty went two-for-four with a double and triple… Megan Lotarski got her first start against Canisius, pitching four innings with four strikeouts, one hit, and one earned run… Brooke Stulga picked
up her first win, pitching three innings of relief and only allowing two hits.
 
UP AHEAD: After this weekend's tournament, Western continue its road trip to Wichita State for a matchup at 3 p.m. The next day, the Leathernecks takes on No. 15 Missouri in a double-header beginning at 3 p.m. in Columbia, Missouri. The spring break road trip and tournament play concludes with the 2016 Hoosier Classic hosted by Indiana on March 18-20, when the Fighting Leathernecks will face four different squads. 
 
 
   











 
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Players Mentioned

Rachel Beatty

#14 Rachel Beatty

OF
5' 5"
Sophomore
L/L
Tierney Bottino

#27 Tierney Bottino

OF
5' 2"
Senior
R/R
Karissa Kouchis

#25 Karissa Kouchis

OF
4' 11"
Senior
L/R
Brooke Stulga

#33 Brooke Stulga

P
5' 10"
Sophomore
R/R
Payton Abbott

#34 Payton Abbott

P/IF
5' 9"
Freshman
R/R
Emily Ira

#17 Emily Ira

P/OF
5' 7"
Freshman
L/L
Megan Lotarski

#6 Megan Lotarski

P
5' 7"
Freshman
R/R

Players Mentioned

Rachel Beatty

#14 Rachel Beatty

5' 5"
Sophomore
L/L
OF
Tierney Bottino

#27 Tierney Bottino

5' 2"
Senior
R/R
OF
Karissa Kouchis

#25 Karissa Kouchis

4' 11"
Senior
L/R
OF
Brooke Stulga

#33 Brooke Stulga

5' 10"
Sophomore
R/R
P
Payton Abbott

#34 Payton Abbott

5' 9"
Freshman
R/R
P/IF
Emily Ira

#17 Emily Ira

5' 7"
Freshman
L/L
P/OF
Megan Lotarski

#6 Megan Lotarski

5' 7"
Freshman
R/R
P