Skip To Main Content

Upcoming Events and Recent Results

Western Illinois University Athletics

-
8
Winner Northern Illinois NIU 1-0
6
Western Illinois WIU 0-1
Winner
Northern Illinois NIU
1-0
8
Final
6
Western Illinois WIU
0-1
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Northern Illinois NIU 0 0 5 0 2 0 1 8 10 2
Western Illinois WIU 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 6 3 0

W: Stewart (1-0) L: Wools, Lillie (0-1)

0
Western Illinois WIU 0-1
6
Winner Northern Iowa UNI 1-0
Western Illinois WIU
0-1
0
Final
6
Northern Iowa UNI
1-0
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Western Illinois WIU 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1
Northern Iowa UNI 0 0 0 0 4 2 X 6 7 0

W: Wischnowski, Anna (1-0) L: Price, Emily (0-1)

Game Recap: Softball | | WIU ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

Leathernecks Show Fight, Drop Opening Pair of Matches

Western Illinois opened their season on Friday, playing Northern Illinois and Northern Iowa on Friday.

CEDAR FALLS, IA - The 2024 softball season officially got underway on Friday, as the Leathernecks took on Northern Illinois and Northern Iowa in a doubleheader at the UNI-Dome. 

Freshman Lillie Wools got the start for the Leathernecks' first game of the day, as she got through the top of the first without allowing any runs. She struck out the last two batters of the inning after allowing a pair of hits to start things off. 

Wools was one of six newcomers who made an appearance in today's action. Head Coach Alisa Goler talked about this, saying "I'd say that our number one goal today was to try and get as many people opportunities as we could." Getting settled in and back in action with five games over three days, this was of importance to Goler. "We have a lot of athletes that can help us win in different ways this year," stated the Leathernecks' head coach. 

In the bottom of the first, Bella Alvarez's walk would be the only baserunner for the Leathernecks until the fifth inning. 

Wools went one-two-three in the top of the second, but the Huskies would capitalize on a rough third inning, scoring five runs in the frame. The freshman ended her day pitching three innings, allowing three earned runs on five hits and recorded three strikeouts. 

Newcomer Raven Morrison entered for Wools in the fourth. She allowed a single and a walk to her first two batters, but got out of the jam by getting the next three batters out. A fifth inning home run for Northern Illinois extended the lead to seven, but this game was far from over. 

Gabriela Drager singled to start the fifth, the Leathernecks' first of the game. They were unable to get her home, ending the inning without a score. Morrison forced a double play to end the top of the sixth inning, as the Leathernecks looked to get on the board quickly. 

Freshman Malia Robertson drew a walk to start the bottom of the sixth, and another newcomer Valerie Combs reached on a fielder's choice, but two consecutive outs had things looking dreary for Western. Then, Maria Luna drew a walk to load the bases, and Drager drew an RBI, taking a hit by pitch. Western would show great plate discipline despite a multi-run deficit, as Wools and Abrianna Gracia drew back-to-back RBI walks to reduce the lead to four. A lineout would end the inning with a score of 7-3, in favor of the Huskies. 

Raven Morrison came back out for the seventh, where she struck out two Panther batters, but allowed an RBI double that saw the Huskies push the lead back up to five. Morrison ended the day with four innings pitched, five hits, three earned runs, and four strikeouts. 

Going into the bottom half of the final frame, the Leathernecks got some déjà vu when Malia Robertson again started it off with a walk, and Combs again reached on a fielder's choice. This time, however, Sophia Sanchez slapped a single into center, loading the bases for Bella Alvarez. The 2023 All-Summit League selection came through with a big clutch hit, driving in two runs on a single. A groundout by Rylee Boone scored Sanchez, trimming down the lead to two. Back-to-back flyouts would end the game with a score of 8-6, with Northern Illinois coming away with a win in the first match of the season.

Starting at 2 PM, Western played their second game of the day, taking on the hosts, Northern Iowa. 

Emily Price took the mound for Western in game two. Price, a senior, posted a 3.41 ERA over 117 innings last season. Price got through her first four innings of work without allowing any runs, and finished the game with six strikeouts. 

The Leatherneck offense struggled early, picking up their first hit in the fourth inning, as Alvarez and Drager recorded hits in the frame. Both runners would be stranded, keeping the game knotted at zero. 

The Panther offense awoke in the bottom of the fifth, as the hosts scored four runs, including a three-run home run. 

In the top of the sixth, two Leathernecks got on base via walk and hit by pitch, but nothing would come of it as Western exited the frame without a score. 

Price was replaced by Kathryn McChristy with one out in the sixth, recording a strikeout and allowing one run in her .2 innings. 

Freshman Kayden Porter, who did not appear in game one of today's action, pinch hit in the seventh, and recorded a hit, the first of her career as a Leatherneck. She would be stranded on the basepaths as Northern Iowa recorded two more outs to clinch a 6-0 victory. 

Coach Goler stressed the positives during today's season opening action. "While we didn't win against two very tough opponents, we did have a lot of great moments," said Goler. "First hits for newcomers, every pitcher had at least one strikeout today, and our defense looked excellent. I hope we show up for day two ready to compete."

Speaking of day two, Western Illinois will take on Butler and Drake in a Saturday doubleheader, with games coming at 8 AM and 10:30 AM. Then on Sunday, Western will have a rematch against the Panthers in a 4:30 PM game to close out the 2024 Doc Halverson UNI-Dome Classic. 
 
Print Friendly Version