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George Hartmann

Week 2 Preview: Building Momentum

| By: WIU Athletic Communications

Western Illinois softball heads south for a tournament hosted by Chattanooga after finishing 4-1 at the Rosemont Dome.

The Weekend Schedule
  • Friday, Feb. 17, 11:30 a.m. CT – vs Indiana State
  • Friday, Feb. 17, 1 p.m. CT – vs Maine
  • Saturday, Feb. 18, 11:30 a.m. CT – vs Maine
  • Saturday, Feb. 18, 4:30 p.m. CT – at Chattanooga
  • Sunday, Feb. 19, 2 p.m. CT – at Chattanooga
Where | Warner Park Softball Complex – Chattanooga, Tenn.
Social Media | Instagram & Twitter (@WIUSoftball)

Matchup history: 
Western Illinois opens the Chattanooga Challenge against Indiana State, a team the Leathernecks have found great success against in the history of the program; WIU holds a 33-15 record dating back to the first matchup on March 26, 1977. The Maine Black Bears have only matched up with Western Illinois on two occasions, both of which were played during the 1980s and ended as Leatherneck victories. Tournament hosts Chattanooga and Western Illinois have never played, making Saturday and Sunday the first two matchups in the series' history.

Players to Watch: 
Savannah Rodriguez's tremendous two-way play made a huge impact on Western's 4-1 start to the season, as the graduate player threw a perfect game and hit a home run in the same weekend. Her performances in the circle garnered Summit League Co-Pitcher of the Week recognition thanks to a 3-0 record, 0.43 ERA and 25 strikeouts across 16 innings pitched, adding four hits and two RBIs in 15 at-bats (.267).
 
Rylee Boone and Kaylee Ketcherside both stepped up in a big way at the plate, as both outfielders finished 4-9 with two RBIs and made clutch plays in the batter's box. Boone drove in the go-ahead run in the sixth inning of Saturday's win over SLU before hitting a sacrifice fly in the final inning of Sunday's victory over Detroit Mercy to seal a 2-1 victory. Ketcherside recorded a hit in each of the four games she appeared in and hit an RBI triple to center that scored the game-tying run against the UDM.
 
Having played in three games this weekend, Gabriela Drager's 5-7 (.714) performance was the top mark on the roster among players who recorded at least five at-bats. Her RBI single in the fifth inning against SLU cut the deficit in half and set the state for a Ketcherside RBI single to tie the game, and she hit a double in the sixth inning of WIU's 3-0 victory over Bowling Green.
With Rodriguez dealing against Detroit Mercy on Friday, Piper Foote was on a roll at the plate. The senior outfielder scored the first run of WIU's 2023 season in the third inning, smacking a 3-1 pitch over the wall in left field for her first homer of the year and first since the 2021 season; she finished that contest against the Titans 2-2.
 
Head Coach Alisa Goler noted after the tournament's conclusion that Western's pinch running and hitting was crucial this weekend, and one player who stepped up in a big way for the Leathernecks was Cynthia Hull. Appearing in three games this weekend, she hit an RBI single against Bowling Green to seal a 3-0 victory and then started off the final inning of play with a single in Sunday's matchup against Detroit Mercy; Hull would round the bases and tie the game on Ketcherside's triple.
 
What's next: 
The Leathernecks are closer to home for a tournament next weekend, traveling to St. Charles, Mo., to play two games apiece against hosts Lindenwood and the visiting Green Bay Phoenix. Games are scheduled to be played on Saturday (Feb. 25) and Sunday (Feb. 26).
 
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