BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (2-23-24) - Freshman Claire Borg and Amanda Schick each recorded their first career hits in a Detroit Mercy uniform as the Titans opened the 2024 season with a pair of 8-0 setbacks against Eastern Illinois and host Western Kentucky on Friday at the WKU Hilltopper Classic. 

Sophomores Elyssa Adams and Alison Donaugh also added a hit each while graduate student Olivia Warrington went 3.1 innings with four strikeouts against EIU (7-4).

Junior Jordan Kavanaugh made her Titan debut against WKU (7-3-1) tossing 3.0 innings allowing a run off two hits.

EIU Recap:
• EIU (7-4) got on the board with a run in the first inning.
• Borg and Adams' hits came in the third inning for Detroit Mercy (0-2) to get runners at first and second base but the Titans were unable to plate a run across to tie the game.
• The top of the fourth inning proved to be costly for the Titans as the Panthers took advantage of errors to plate six unearned runs highlighted by a grand slam home run to take a 7-0 lead.
• Donaugh and Schick posted back-to-back singles to once again get runners on first and second in the fourth inning but a double play ground out left both runners stranded.
 • EIU added another run in the sixth inning and UDM was unable to score to extend the game.

WKU Recap:
• Sophomore Jenna Holt reached on a hit-by-pitch but was out on an ensuing double play in the first inning.
• Sophomore Trinity Fessler then posted UDM's only hit of the game with a single but was left stranded.
• WKU got on the board first with a double steal which allowed a runner to steal home for a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning.
• The Hilltoppers went on to add four runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth to seal the game.

Detroit Mercy continues play at the Hilltopper Classic on Saturday, Feb. 24 against WKU at 4 pm ET followed by Saint Louis at 6:30 pm ET.