Skip To Main Content

Upcoming Events and Recent Results

Western Illinois University Athletics

SB
Mya Knuteson

Leatherneck Softball Hosts St. Thomas

| By: WIU Athletic Communications

The weekend series marks the first home games of the 2022 season.

Who | Western Illinois (4-19) vs St. Thomas (4-20)
When | Saturday (March 26), 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. | Sunday (March 27), 11 a.m.
Where | Mary Ellen McKee Stadium – Macomb, Ill.
Social Media | Instagram and Twitter + #TRADITIONofTOUGH

Matchup history: 
It's a brand-new season for the Leathernecks, with this weekend's series marking the start of competition against Summit League opponents. The Tommies are in their first season since making the jump from NCAA Division-III to Division-I, so this weekend's three-game series marks the first time in program history that Western Illinois and St. Thomas have played one another.

Scouting the Leathernecks: 
Torince Muczynski had a strong weekend of play against Saint Louis, finishing 3-7 (.429) with one run scored across three appearances and culminated with a 2-2 performance in the second game on Saturday. Megan Leonard also put on a quality performance against the Billikens, finishing the Saturday doubleheader 2-6 (.333) with two runs scored, while Abrianna Gracia has recorded a hit in each game against Saint Louis and has hits in four of her last five appearances dating back to the March 15 matchup with Northern Kentucky.
 
Georgia Rea and Ami Ill have continued to be pillars of consistency for the Leatherneck lineup this season. Ill has recorded a hit in nine of her last 11 appearances and has two multi-hit performances, and is now hitting a team-high .297 while appearing in every single game this season. Rea is leading the team in both home runs (four) and RBIs (10) with a .268 average (second on the team), and her home run total sits in the top-10 among Summit League softball players.

Scouting the Tommies: 
St. Thomas sits at fifth-best in the Summit League for team batting average, currently hitting .236 for the season - though the team does have a trio of players all averaging over .310. Brooke Ellestad (.397) sits at second in the Summit League with her average, while Sarah Hudson and Kaitlyn Raymond are at .319 and .318, respectively. Though St. Thomas has had some bright spots at the plate, there has been a struggle from inside the circle, with the Tommies sitting in last place in the Summit League for team ERA while allowing a league-high 34 home runs.

What's next: 
The Leathernecks will remain in Macomb for their next series, hosting North Dakota next weekend (April 2-3). Saturday will feature a doubleheader with starting at 12 p.m. and then 2 p.m., and Sunday's game is set to begin at 11 a.m.
 
Print Friendly Version

Related Videos

Now Playing:

Related Stories