Western Illinois Girls Softball Takes A Split In Doubleheader
Western Illinois played two on Sunday, a doubleheader at Arkansas-Pine Bluff that saw the Leathernecks split the day, losing in the first game, but coming up victorious in the second. A massive day at the plate saw senior Gabriela Drager extend her hitting streak to seven games, as she went 5-6 with a walk, two runs, and two RBIs on the day. A Monday series finale saw the Leathernecks take a loss in a game dominated by pitching.
The Leatherneck offense took a while to get going in game one, but Leatherneck starting pitcher Emily Price came out hot. Price struck out the side in the first inning, and by the end of the third inning, she had totaled six strikeouts while only allowing one hit.
Malia Robertson singled in the second, the Leathernecks’ only hit of the first three innings. A fourth inning double from Drager and single and steal from Robertson had two runners in scoring position, but the Golden Lions shut down the Western bats and ended the inning unscathed.
Pine Bluff took a 2-0 lead in the fourth, scoring two runs on a walk and a pair of singles. Western tied it up in the next frame, scoring two runs on four hits, including singles from Drager, Abrianna Gracia, Megan Leonard, and Bella Alvarez.
The Golden Lions took back the lead instantly with an RBI double to give UAPB a lead that they did not relinquish. Western stranded two runners in the seventh as the Lions won game one.
In game two, it was a completely different story for Western, as five Leathernecks ended the game with multiple hits, and WIU took home a 9-5 win.
In the first, Drager continued her hitting streak with an RBI double into left that scored Rylee Boone. After the Golden Lions went down in order thanks to Leatherneck starting pitcher Raven Morrison, Western would pour it on in the second inning. WIU scored six runs on six singles, those from Morrison, Alivia Beard, Sophia Sanchez, Drager, Alvarez, and Leonard.
Western tacked on two more runs in the third to make it a 9-0 ballgame, as five players singled in the frame. Morrison got through the third and the fourth unscathed, although the Lions threatened in the fourth getting the bases loaded.
UAPB got their offense going in the fifth, scoring four runs on four hits. Raven Morrison left the game after the inning, finishing her day with seven strikeouts in five innings and the win.
A handful of errors from WIU in the sixth led to the Lions scoring one more, but Emily Price finished off the game with a one-two-three seventh inning to secure the win.
The series finale was played on the following Monday, with Lillie Wools taking the mound for Western Illinois.
UAPB jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning, getting three hits in the frame. In the fourth inning, the Leathernecks got their first baserunner, as Rylee Boone reached on an error then stole second base. Western ended the inning without a score.
The 3-0 score held until the fourth inning, when the Golden Lions tacked on another to make. In the sixth, Western Illinois got their first hit of the game, when Megan Leonard singled up the middle to break up the no-hitter.
Emily Price, who entered for Wools in the fourth, would go on to pitch a great three innings, striking out four while allowing just two hits and a walk.
Maria Luna came in in the seventh and smacked a pinch-hit double into left-center, and a two-out single would bring in Georgia Rea, who pinch ran for Luna. 4-1 would be the final score, with the Golden Lions coming out on top in game three.
Coming up, the Leathernecks will take on Mississippi Valley State on Wednesday, February 21, in a doubleheader.
