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Softball Action vs SIUE 700.4827 Leatherneck Softball hosts SIUE at Mary Ellen McKee stadium in Macomb, IL on Tuesday, April 4, 2023.
Sarah Ritter

Week 12 Preview: Going to Omaha

| By: WIU Athletic Communications

WIU Softball plays three games on the road this weekend.

The Weekend Schedule
  • Saturday, April 29, 1 / 3 p.m. – Omaha
  • Sunday, April 30, 12 p.m. – Omaha
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Matchup history: 
The Leathernecks and Mavericks have played 33 times in program history, dating back to the first matchup on May 16, 1975. Omaha holds a slight advantage, 19-14, in the series, and has found success in recent years with three victories last season. Jorja Hudson and Abrianna Gracia both recorded multi-hit games during last year's series as Emily Price struck out four in her lone appearance against the Mavs.
 
Scouting the Leathernecks: 
In the final home series of the 2023 season, Bella Alvarez had one of her strongest weekends of play for the entire season, finishing with three multi-hit games, two extra-base hits and one RBI. She finished 2-4, 2-3 and 3-4 across three games, good for a 7-11 total and .636 average. Originally from Santa Clarita, Calif., Alvarez is hitting .336 for the season which leads the team and ranks sixth-best among Summit League hitters.

Riley Eagan played in all three games against the Roos, finishing with at least one hit and one run scored in every appearance. With Gabriela Drager standing at third during game two, Eagan connected with a pitch for a hard-hit two-run home run to left, the first of her Leatherneck career and helping fuel a 9-1 victory. Eagan would finish the weekend with a .375 average and is now batting .250 across 16 appearances this season.

Drager, now in her third season at Western Illinois, tied a career-best mark for hits in a single game during WIU's 9-1 win on Saturday, finishing a perfect 3-3 with three runs scored and one RBI. Drager would add another hit and RBI on Sunday to finish 4-9 (.444) with five runs scored and two RBI, also finishing a perfect 11-11 in the field. The hitting performance helped her season average to .281 across 36 appearances this season.

Alivia Beard has appeared in 32 games in her first season of collegiate softball, making 12 starts. In game one last weekend Beard accomplished she hadn't yet accomplished as a collegiate athlete, recording three hits in a 3-3 performance at the plate, also finishing with two runs scored and two RBI. She added another hit during Western's game two victory to finish the weekend 4-8 (.500) with two RBI and one stolen base. 

What's next: 
After facing Omaha, Western Illinois will conclude its regular season with a trip to Grand Forks, N.D., to play three games against the North Dakota Fighting Hawks next Friday and Saturday, May 5-6. The 2023 Summit League Softball Championship is scheduled for May 10-13 in Brookings, S.D.
 
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