AUBURN, Ala. - The Campbell softball team (6-4) fell in extra innings to Western Illinois (2-7) by a 5-2 margin on Sunday, Feb. 20, on the final day of the Tiger Invitational at Jane B. Moore Field.

The game was tied at two going into extra frames. After Campbell could not score in their half of the eighth, the Leathernecks did not have the same problem and won on Megan Kelly's walk-off three-run home run.

The loss went to senior Lauren Stephan (2-2), who allowed three runs (two earned) in 1.2 innings of work. The win was earned by Ashley Campbell (2-2), who pitched 4.2 innings of relief with only two hits allowed. The Camels also left 11 base runners on in the game.

Senior Amanda Miller reached base all four to the plate for Campbell with two hits and two walks. Junior Taylor McGee had two hits and an RBI.

The Camels again scored first with two runs in the first inning. Sophomore Sarah Forgacs reached on bunt single, took second on a fly out and scored on junior McGee's double to right-centerfield gap. Senior Lizzie Goldbach then singled to move McGee to third. The Camels then stole a run as McGee scored and stole home when Goldbach intentionally got herself in a rundown.

WIU cut the deficit in half in the second. Nikki Marinec reached on a lead-off single and took second on the fielding error from the CU outfield. She went to third on a single and scored on Michelle Prieto's infield single to short.

The Camels threatened in the fourth inning. Senior Keeli Michael led the inning off with a swinging bunt single. A walk to Arnn moved her to second. After a strike out, Miller reached base for the third time in the game with a walk. A fielder's choice grounder and a ground out ended the inning and allowed the Leathernecks to escape unscathed.

Sophomore Brittany Arnn pitched out of a difficult situation in the fourth. She had runners on first and second and was able to strikeout Prieto on a 3-2 pitch and induced Anna Copeland to ground out to end the frame and keep the score 2-1.

CU reliever Olivia Scarborough pitched out of her own troublesome inning in the fifth. Ashley Campbell started the attempted rally with a one-out single. A fielder's choice moved her to second and she took third on a double. With the go-ahead run on second, Scarborough took care of Michelini on a ground out.

The Leathernecks tied the game in the sixth inning. Kelly started the frame with a one-out single. Prieto then reached on a single in which the ball was thrown away and allowed both runners to move up a base. Kelly scored the tying run on the fielder's choice ground out from pinch hitter from Erin Schlotfeldt.

The game went into extra innings as Michael and Miller turned a nice double play to end the seventh.

The Camels head off to the Pirate Clash next weekend. CU is slated to start off tournament play against Lehigh at 10 a.m. on Feb. 25 in Greenville, N.C.