West Central Reporter

Western Illinois University's softball team faced defeat in both games of a doubleheader against Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) on Friday, April 18th, at Mary Ellen McKee Stadium in Macomb, Illinois. The Leathernecks lost the first game 5-2 and the second by a more significant margin of 16-1.

In the first matchup, Western Illinois showed some resistance early on, managing to tie the game in the third inning. The tie came with contributions from Payton Brown's sacrifice fly and an RBI single by Sophia Sanchez. Offensive support also came from Megan Leonard and Malia Robertson, each adding a hit and a run. Kaylee Ketcherside and Maria Luna contributed with singles. Though Lillie Wools pitched a complete game and struck out four players over seven innings, she received the loss after allowing five earned runs on 11 hits.

The second game highlighted a strong offensive display from SIUE as they notched nine runs in the second inning, bringing the total to 16. The Leathernecks' key moment occurred in the fourth inning when Jillian Morris hit her first home run of the season. Morris led her team at the plate, achieving a 2-for-2 performance with an RBI. Payton Brown added two doubles, maintaining her hitting streak. Luna and Morris together secured all five hits for Western Illinois in the second game.

The loss for the Leathernecks in Game 2 came under Audrey Clark's pitching, as she allowed eight runs, six of which were earned, during 1.2 innings. Relieving her, Kathryn McChristy gave up a further eight runs over 3.1 innings. The team committed two errors in the second game, both attributed to Brown.

Western Illinois aims to recover in a series finale scheduled for Saturday, April 19th, at Mary Ellen McKee Stadium, hoping to regain form and claim success on their home ground. The game is set to begin at noon.

Fans and supporters can stay updated on Leatherneck Softball by visiting GoLeathernecks.com and following their social media channels.