TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Western Illinois softball dropped its
final contest at the Bama Bash on Sunday (Feb. 24) to Iowa 12-4 after six
innings of play. The run rule loss brings the Leathernecks to 2-5 on the season
and moves the Hawkeyes to 10-5.
The game went back and forth until Iowa pulled away scoring
five runs on five hits in the fifth inning and added two more in the sixth to
end the game early.
Sammy Marshall opened the first frame with a walk then stole
second to reach scoring position. Briana Williams followed with a bunt single
and stolen base of her own. Lia Romeo capitalized on the situation plating
Marshall when she hit a liner at the Iowa pitcher, who knocked it down and made
the play at first.
In bottom half of the inning, the Hawkeyes responded
notching two runs on a single to center field after a single and two walks
loaded up the bases.
After a scoreless second, Briana Williams picked up her
second single and stolen base of the contest to reach scoring position in the
third. A Monica Rondon walk and a Lia Romeo hit by pitch loaded up the bases
for Teagan Walsh who picked up her second RBI of the season on a fielder's
choice tying the game 2-2. The Hawkeyes responded with a run of their own on
two hits in the bottom half of the third to break the tie.
In the top of the fourth, an error, Marshall single and Williams
single loaded the bases for Western Illinois with one away. Romeo knocked a
single through the right side to plate two and give the Leathernecks a 4-2
advantage. But it wouldn't last long as Iowa scored two in the bottom half of
the inning.
The Hawkeyes added five runs in the fifth and two in the
sixth ending the battle and solidifying its 12-4, six inning victory.
Leading the way for Western offensively was Williams, who
went 3-for-4 at the plate and stole two bases. Marshall and Romeo added one hit
apiece going 1-for-3 and 1-for-2, respectively. Romeo had a team-most three
RBI.
Starting pitcher Kelsey Michelini took the loss in the
circle bringing her record to 1-3 on the young season. In her 3.1 innings, she
allowed seven earned runs and picked up a strikeout. Walsh tossed the remaining
1.2 innings allowing five earned runs.
Two members of the Leatherneck team, Marshall and Walsh,
were named to the Bama Bash All-Tournament team. Marshall hit .444 (8-for-18)
on the weekend with one double and four stolen bases, while Walsh hit .231
(3-for-13) with an RBI and posted a team-best ERA of 4.67 with five strikeouts
in her 9.0 innings pitched.
Western Illinois is back in action next weekend at the 2013
Coach B Classic in Carbondale, Ill. The squad opens play on Saturday (Mar. 2)
against Northern Illinois at 10 a.m. and Southern Illinois at 12 p.m.
#WIUSoftball
#WIUAthletics
