PEORIA, Ill. - Behind a stellar attack on both sides of the ball, Western Illinois softball (5-1) improved its winning streak to four games on Friday afternoon. The team took down Bradley (0-2) in a doubleheader sweep at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex. WIU registered ten hits in both games, while the defense only surrendered one total error.

"Today, we were firing on all cylinders," said head coach Alisa Goler. "Excellent pitching, back-to-back games with ten hits, and clean defense. We took care of the little things, and it paid off. These were true TEAM wins."

Western is at its best start since 2014 - a season that saw the Leathernecks win their first five outings.
 

Game One

WIU 6, Bradley 1

Abby Carlin retired five of her first six batters, setting WIU's defensive tempo. It was in the top of the third when the Leathernecks seized momentum offensively. First, Alyssa Ealy singled, followed by an Ami Ill walk and Piper Foote single. Seeing the bases loaded, Savannah Rodriguez brought home all three with a 3 RBI double to center field. 

Similarly, in the fourth's first half, all three Leatherneck bases were filled - capped off by Maddy Anderson's 2 RBI single. Two Braves errors led to bases loaded again for Western, and Kyra Kroll ran in Ill off a single. The Leathernecks totaled five hits and three runs during that stretch.

Down 6-0, Bradley rattled a lead-off homer in the bottom of the fourth. However, led by Carlin's effective pitching, the Western defense would not allow any further opportunities en route to a cruising victory.

Carlin (1-1) took the win after striking out a season-high 11 batters and only allowing one earned run in a full seven innings. Nine different Leathernecks notched at least one hit, as WIU outhit Bradley 10-4. Rodriguez finished with three RBIs, and Anderson added two more.
 

Game Two

WIU 5, Bradley 0

Underway in the second contest, Western wasted zero time in taking a scoring advantage. Following a lead-off walk, Ealy stole her second base of the day. She then advanced to third off Ill's sacrifice bunt, and a RBI single by Foote rounded out the run. Immediately after, Rodriguez's RBI double upped WIU's lead to 2-0 in the first.

A neat senior and first-year connection happened in the second inning. Ashley Minyard singled and stole second before reaching third on a ground out. Jorja Hudson then stepped up to the plate, bringing in her veteran teammate by singling to right-center field.

Leading off the fifth, Ill delivered a single, and a Bradley throwing error allowed her to reach second. Foote then lined Western's first and only dinger of the day - a 2 RBI home run with Torince Muczynksi on second as a pinch-runner. Likewise to game one, Western's defense maintained control from start to finish, as the Leathernecks ended their trip with a sweep.

Rodriguez (3-0) achieved her second shutout of the year. She struck out eight Braves in 5.0 innings of work. Foote had three hits and three RBIs. The sophomore is now up to six hits and runs this season, a team-high in each category. Hollings chipped in two hits, and Ealy stole two bases. Hudson finished with a game-high ten putouts. The Leathernecks once again outhit the Braves 10-4.

WIU will have to wait a week until it participates in the 2021 Michelle Short Memorial Collegiate Classic, hosted by Central Arkansas. Play will run Feb. 26-28 in Conway, Ark.