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Week 10 Preview: Taking on the Coyotes

| By: WIU Athletic Communications

Western Illinois softball to play a three-game series in Vermillion.

The Weekend Schedule
  • Saturday, April 15, 12 p.m. (DH)
  • Saturday, April 15, 2 p.m. (DH)
  • Sunday, April 16, 11 a.m.
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Matchup history: 
The Leathernecks and Coyotes have played 27 games in the history of this series, with Western Illinois holding an 8-19 record. South Dakota took all three games last season, all played at Mary Ellen McKee Stadium. Bella Alvarez, Savannah Rodriguez and Georgia Rea all recorded multi-hit performances during the series while Jorja Hudson tied a career high with two RBI in the final game.
 
Scouting the Leathernecks:
Among the Summit League's top hitters is Bella Alvarez, who has taken a big step at the plate in her junior season. After hitting for a .211 average last year, the Santa Clarita, Calif., native enters this weekend's games with a .330 batting average that ranks seventh-best among hitters in the league. The team's leader in runs (12), hits (29), RBI (13), doubles (six), OPS (.983), slugging percentage (.591) and on-base percentage (.392), Alvarez has hit more home runs this season (five) than she did in her previous two combined while making 30 total appearances to this point in the 2023 season. 
 
Entering this weekend's games with 19 starts across 26 appearances this season, Rylee Boone is coming off a strong series against St. Thomas. She finished the weekend 4-9 (.444), including a perfect 3-3 performance during game two. A freshman from LaCygne, Kan., Boone is batting .245 this season with three multi-hit games and three RBI, and was also perfect in the field across three total chances in the Leatherneck outfield.
 
With the 2023 season entering its final stages, there are just four players in the Summit League who still boast a perfect fielding percentage on at least 48 total attempts; two of those four play for Western Illinois: Georgia Rea and Cynthia Hull. Rea has been perfect on her 91 total chances this season, with 83 putouts and eight assists while playing a long list of different positions; Hull has 45 putouts and three assists on 48 total chances in the Western Illinois infield.

What's next: 
Western heads home for the final time in the 2023 season next week, hosting Iowa on Wednesday (April 19) before playing host to the Roos of UMKC during the weekend. A ceremony to recognize the team's outgoing seniors is scheduled to commence prior to a 12 p.m. first pitch on Sunday (April 23).
 
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