SAINT LOUIS, Mo. - Western Illinois softball (7-6) fell short of picking up two wins on Friday at the Billiken Spring Tournament versus the host team - Saint Louis (3-7). Regardless of the outcome, stellar batting and collective effort were put on display by the Leathernecks, most notably in a 6-5 game two setback. The group set a new season-high in hits (14), a bulk of which happened during a late, final inning comeback.
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Game One
SLU 1, WIU 0
From the jump, Abby Carlin made it anything but easy for the Billikens' offense. The senior pitcher struck out six of her first eight batters faced. Neither team allowed much room for opportunity on the hitting end throughout the first three innings. However, once the fourth unfolded, Alyssa Ealy, Piper Foote, and Savannah Rodriguez all collected singles for WIU.
With two outs in the fourth's bottom half, SLU smacked a homer to right-center, taking the game's first run. Kellie Marcheschi and Ashley Minyard each received a walk in the fifth, and Meghan Henson had a two-out single toward right field in the seventh. Unfortunately, that was the closest WIU reached in the scoring column during the last three innings. SLU ended the tournament opener walk-off style after making a final fielder's choice.
Carlin (2-4) put away eight hitters in 6.0 innings. Western outhit the Billikens 4-3, with four different Leathernecks contributing one apiece. Henson had eight putouts at the catcher spot.
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Game Two
SLU 6, WIU 5
It did not take long for Western to produce runs in part two of the doubleheader. A Bella Alvarez single had the bases loaded in the second. Jorja Hudson then tallied one of her own to drive in Rodriguez. Minyard struck a sacrifice fly immediately after, as Ealy came around to put WIU in front, 2-0.
SLU shifted the game's momentum in the third inning. After singling for an unearned run and still having corner bases occupied, the Billikens unleashed a 3 RBI bomb to take the lead, 4-2. Late in the fourth, an RBI single extended their lead by one, with the same action occurring an inning later.Â
Hudson knocked her third single of the contest in the sixth. Sydney Hollings and Kyra Kroll followed up with their own hits to load all three bases, but SLU was able to complete an out at home plate.
Demonstrating its 'never-quit tenacity once again this year, WIU exploded in the seventh for a flurry of five hits and three runs. Foote and Maddy Anderson started the frame off with a single and double, respectively. Ealy sent home a 3 RBI dinger to bring herself and two teammates around, chipping into SLU's lead. Down 6-5, Hudson and Minyard each singled one last time before a line out ended the team's impressive run. SLU again wrapped up the contest with a walk-off.
Hudson impressed with a perfect batting performance: going 4-4 with an RBI. Ealy and Rodriguez both added two hits, as the former also provided three RBI. Making her first collegiate start as a first baseman, Gabriela Drager finished with eight putouts.
More tournament action continues for WIU tomorrow (3/13). An 11 a.m. matchup versus Loyola-Chicago is up first, followed by another chance at the Billikens (3 p.m.).
