MACOMB, Ill. - After falling to IPFW in game one of the doubleheader Saturday, 12-4, Western Illinois softball bounced back to earn a 7-2 victory over the Mastodons in game two. The Leathernecks sit 23-21 overall and 13-4 in Summit League action after the two contests.
Game #1 - 12 p.m.
IPFW 12, Western Illinois Softball 4 (6 innings)
Despite staking an early 3-0 advantage over IPFW, Western Illinois was run ruled 12-4 after six innings of play.
Western Illinois struck first in the bottom of the first inning when KC Dunne walked, swiped her 15th bag of the season and came around to score on a Jamie Goss single to center. The RBI was her 34th of the 2012 season. Ashley Campbell plated Goss with a single to right to tally her 26th RBI and give the Leathernecks an early 2-0 lead.
With bases loaded in the second, Goss used a sacrifice fly to deep center to add a run and bring her RBI total to 35.
IPFW chipped away at the Leatherneck advantage in the third, plating a run with a single up the middle, then took the lead after scoring four runs on four hits in the top of the fourth.
The Leatherneck offense took advantage of a couple Mastodon errors in the bottom of the fourth to pick up a run and bring Western Illinois within one 5-4.
The Mastodons took over from there scoring two in the fifth and five in the sixth to end the first game of the series with a 12-4 run rule victory.
Miranda Kramer picked up the win in the circle bringing her overall record to 9-3, while Michelini took the loss falling to 12-9 on the season.
Goss led the way for Western Illinois at the plate going one for three with two RBI. Lia Romeo and Campbell also had one RBI apiece in the contest.
Game #2 - 2 p.m.
Western Illinois Softball 7, IPFW 2
After trading zeroes in the first inning, Western Illinois reached the scoreboard first. Lia Romeo was hit by a pitch and replaced at first by pinch runner Ryleigh Sears, who promptly stole her fourth base of the season. Ashley Campbell singled to put runners at first and third for Kelly whose groundout gave Sears enough time to score.
The Mastodons evened the game scoring a run on three hits in the top of the third.
The Fighting Leathernecks regained their offensive momentum in the fourth. Goss started the inning with a single, then moved into scoring position on a passed ball. Campbell singled to left to put two on for designated player Teagan Walsh, who came through in the clutch with a two RBI single to right center.
In the fifth, Western Illinois added four runs on four hits to extend its lead to 7-1. Briana Williams singled to open the frame and moved to third on a Hailey Bickford double, her second of the season. KC Dunne picked up an RBI laying down a successful squeeze bunt, then Goss drove her sixth homerun of the season over the fence in left scoring three.
IPFW picked up one run in the top of the second before surrendering to the Leathernecks 7-2.
Bickford picked up the win in the circle evening her record 9-9, while Megan Flenniken took the loss dropping to 9-6 on the year.
Goss went two for three in the contest picking up a team high three RBI. Campbell and Bickford each picked up two hits going two-for-three and two-for-four, respectively. Walsh also tallied two RBI in her one-for-three performance at the plate
After day one of the series, Western Illinois stands at 23-21 overall and 13-4 in Summit League play. IPFW is 34-11 and 11-6 in conference play. Game three of the series is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. at Mary Ellen McKee Stadium.
