MACOMB, Ill. – The first-place Western Illinois softball team continues Summit League play this weekend and wraps up its home schedule when the North Dakota State Bison come to town... The two teams are slated for a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 12 p.m. and a single game on Sunday at 11 a.m.
#TEAMREID: Saturday's game will feature the #TeamReid Super Hero Event featuring Reid Brewer... Reid is a local 6-year-old boy battling Neuroblastoma for the second time and WIU softball is hosting the event where he'll be a celebrity for a day... It will include a grand entrance for Reid, he will be throwing out the first pitch, he'll get honorary front row stadium seating, VIP access and more... There will be #TeamReid t-shirts available for $20 and a post-game home run derby to help raise money.
2017 SENIORS: Prior to Sunday's contest, WIU's 2017 senior class with be recognized for their contributions to the softball program and Western Illinois University... This year's class includes: Holly Hoelting, Nina Maggio, Amanda Manton, Taylor Messer and Erin Rossetto.
COMING FOR THAT #1 SPOT: Heading into the weekend the Leathernecks, who are 4-for-4 in league series this season, sit first in The Summit League standings with a 9-3 league record... IUPUI sits in second place at 6-3, North Dakota State is in third at 5-4, South Dakota is fourth at 6-6, followed by Omaha (2-4), South Dakota State (3-6) and Fort Wayne (2-7)... A complete look at the standings is below:
1. Western Illinois: 9-3
2. IUPU: 6-3
3. North Dakota State: 5-4
4. South Dakota: 6-6
5. Omaha: 2-4
6. South Dakota State: 3-6
7. Fort Wayne: 2-7
SPEAKING OF BEING #1: In the program's history, Western Illinois has won nine Regular Season Summit League Championships, five out-right and four as co-champion... The Leathernecks have won four total Summit League Tournament Championships... During Holly Van Vlymen's 11 seasons as head coach, the Leathernecks have won three regular season titles (2007, 2009, 2010) and one tournament championship (2008).
RECORD WATCH: As a team, WIU has 31 home runs this season which ranks sixth all-time in program history, two away from moving into sole possession of fifth place and 20 away from setting a new program record (50)... Western has 119 walks this season which ranks seventh all-time, three away from sole possession of sixth place and 46 away from setting a new record (164)... The Leathernecks have 278 strikeouts which ranks eighth all-time, five away from seventh and 253 away from setting a new record.
EMILY IRA IN THE RECORD BOOKS:Â Emily Ira has 18 complete games, three away from breaking into the top 10, and she has 169 strikeouts which ranks eighth all-time, three away from seventh place.
HOELTING NEARING TOP 10: Holly Hoelting has seven home runs, two away from breaking into WIU's top 10 and she has been hit by a pitch four times this season, three away from breaking into the top 10, and she has been walked 21 times this season, four away from breaking into top 10.
SERIES HISTORY: Western trails the all-time series 7-24... NDSU has won 12 straight dating back to the 2012 season... WIU has won the series versus the Bison twice, first in 2009 (2-1) and then again in 2012 (2-1).
LAST TIME OUT: Western topped IUPUI 2-1, winning its fourth Summit League series of the season... The Leathernecks beat the Jaguars 6-1 in game one, 11-6 in game two before falling 10-5 in game three.
UP AHEAD: After Western wraps up its home schedule this weekend when North Dakota State come to town, the Leathernecks are scheduled to play their final non-league games, first a single game at Iowa on April 26 and then a doubleheader at Iowa State on April 29... WIU then heads to South Dakota State for its final regular season series of the season versus the Jackrabbits May 6-7.
SUMMIT LEAGUE WEEKLY HONORS: Emily Ira has been tabbed Pitcher of the Week three times this season (3/13, 4/3, 4/10) and four times during her career… Aly Compton earned her first career Player of the Week honor on April 10th of this season.
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