EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. -
Paige Rocha set the SIUE softball record for consecutive games with a hit Friday, but the Cougars dropped the opener of a three-game series to Western Illinois 3-0 at Cougar Field.
Rocha belted a single to center field in the third inning for her 28th consecutive game with a hit. That broke a record set by Erin Newman in 2001. Newman is a member of the SIUE Athletics Hall of Fame.
"I'm really happy for
Paige Rocha," said SIUE Head Coach
Ben Sorden. "It's quite a feat to have a consecutive game hitting streak for that long. I'm just disappointed we we couldn't get her a win on this day,"
Rocha would finish with three hits on the day, all singles to the center field. Heading into the game, Rocha was ranked No. 4 nationally in hits.
The Cougars couldn't push home a run despite collecting seven hits overall.
Emily Price earned the complete-game win for Western Illinois, now 7-10. WIU is 14-21 overall and 4-9 in the OVC.
Sydney Baalman, 3-11, took the loss for the Cougars. She fanned eight Leathernecks and walked five.
Megan Leonard provided the key hit for Western Illinois, a two-run double in the sixth.
SIUE and Western Illinois have two more games left in the series. A 1 p.m. doubleheader is slated for Saturday at Cougar Field.
