MACOMB, Ill. - Breaking out of Summit League play for a cross-state rivalry matchup, Western Illinois softball (16-25) hosted Eastern Illinois (20-15) on Thursday afternoon (April 22). With both groups battling frame by frame, the single-game outing ended up landing in the Panthers' favor, 5-2.

Early in the opening inning, EIU was first to score as an RBI single plated the contest's first run. 

When the WIU hitters took over, the first pitch in the bottom of the first resulted in a Sydney Hollings homer far and high up the middle through the fence. It was the eleventh dinger for the fifth-year this season, which slides her up to tie sixth-best all-time in a WIU single season. The last Leatherneck to accomplish such a feat? Dani Hofmann in 2001.

The score remained even until the third when EIU tacked in two more runs on back-to-back hits. A bad throwing error from the Panthers allowed Alyssa Ealy to reach third base later in the period. Hollings then stepped up to bat in another RBI, this one being a sacrifice fly far to center-field. 

Holding on to a 3-2 lead for the next two-inning stretch, EIU piled in a bit more damage down the line. An RBI double extended the lead by two, and one final insurance run happened in the seventh on an RBI sacrifice fly. Piper Foote singled for Western's last hit late in the seventh, but it would not be enough, as the visitors ended on top.

For the second straight game, Gabriela Drager ended with multiple hits - landing two for a team-high. Hollings' two RBI also paced the offense, while Abby Carlin struck out a game-high five batters.

Western has one more home weekend series left on its calendar this season, bringing in Kansas City April 24-25.