Skip To Main Content

Upcoming Events and Recent Results

Western Illinois University Athletics

Taylor Messer
6
Butler BUTLER 2-1
7
Winner Western Illinois WIU 2-1
Butler BUTLER
2-1
6
Final
7
Western Illinois WIU
2-1
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Butler BUTLER 0 0 3 1 2 0 0 6 11 1
Western Illinois WIU 0 0 1 1 2 3 X 7 8 2

W: Stulga, Brooke (0-0) L: Starwalt, Kacey (0-0)

4
Western Illinois WIU 2-2
6
Winner UIC UIC 4-0
Western Illinois WIU
2-2
4
Final
6
UIC UIC
4-0
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Western Illinois WIU 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 4 7 0
UIC UIC 0 1 3 0 2 0 X 6 10 2

W: FRAZIER, K (2-0) L: Ira, Emily (0-2)

Game Recap: Softball | | WIU Athletic Communications

Softball Splits a Pair of Games Against Butler, UIC

Western fought a 6-2 deficit to top the defending Big East champions Butler in game one

ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Western Illinois softball team split a pair of games between Butler and UIC on the second day of the Total Control Sports Invitational Saturday (Feb. 11). After finding themselves down 6-2, the Leathernecks rallied and topped the Butler Bulldogs 7-6. Western then tried to stage a seventh-inning comeback over the Flames of UIC, but fell 6-4. With the two decisions, Western Illinois moves to 2-2 on the season.
 
GAME ONE: Western Illinois 7, Butler 6
 
Down 3-0 in the bottom of the third, senior Taylor Messer launched her first career home run, a solo shot, over the left field fence to put the Leathernecks on the board.
 
An RBI single from Butler put the Bulldogs ahead 4-1 in the top of the fourth. Payton Abbott, who also got her first career start at pitcher, responded and hit the first home run of her career to left field, putting Western within two runs.
 
The Bulldogs put their largest lead over the Leathernecks in the top of the fifth following a two-run triple from Christina Candotti giving them a four-run advantage.

Western's comeback began in the bottom of the fifth when Messer was hit by a pitch and moved to second base following Brittanee Knepper's infield single. Both were brought home when Nina Maggio hit a two-run triple to left field to put Western within two, 6-4.
 
Brooke Stulga came in for relief of Abbott in the top of the sixth to keep the Bulldogs off the board. In the bottom of the sixth, Stulga reached on a fielder's choice and advanced to second base following Sydney Hollings' pinch-hit single.
 
With two runners on, Erin Rossetto came in and delivered a pinch-hit single to right field that brought the tying runs across the plate. After working her way to third on a throwing error on the same play, Rossetto scored the game-winning run off of Knepper's second infield single of the game.
 
The Leathernecks were able to keep the Bulldogs at bay in the top of the seventh as they topped the defending Big East regular season champions by a score of 7-6.
 
Stulga earned her second win of the season in the circle. She threw two innings, allowing two hits and striking out one. In her first career start, Knepper went 2-for-3 with a run and the game-winning RBI. Maggio led the team with two RBIs.
 
GAME TWO: UIC 6, Western Illinois 4
 
Western Illinois got on the board in the top of the first and led 1-0 after one inning of play. Maggio drew a walk, then stole second and scored when Kelsey Marlow hit a single to right field.
 
The Flames tied things up in the bottom of the second and then tacked on three runs in the third to lead 4-1. Western's best chance to get the lead back came in the bottom of the fourth when the bases were loaded but they were unable to capitalize on any opportunities. UIC then scored two more runs in the bottom of the fifth to lead 6-1.
 
In the top of the seventh, Rachel Beatty drew her third walk of the game and scored after Maggio hit an RBI double to center field. Maggio then scored when Holly Hoelting sent a base hit up the middle, bringing in Knepper to pinch run.
 
With two outs, Halle Hollatz reached first on an error by the Flames' first baseman, moving Knepper to second and keeping the Leathernecks alive. Aly Compton then stepped up and hit a single to center field to load the bases. With the bases loaded and two outs, Emily Ira drew a walk to score Knepper and put Western within two, 6-4. However, the rally fell short as UIC hung on for the 6-4 victory.
 
The Leathernecks drew eight walks on the day, which ties for seventh all-time in program history for walks in a game. Beatty drew three of those, which ties for second, individually.
 
Both Ira and Compton collected two hits on the day while Maggio scored two runs. Ira also got the start at pitcher and struck out five batters in the loss.
 
The Total Control Sports Invitational concludes tomorrow (Feb. 12) at 9 a.m. against Detroit Mercy.
 
Print Friendly Version