Blue Demons Cap Perfect Opening Weekend Sunday Afternoon

Sunday, February 8

Rosemont, Ill.

11:30 a.m.

DePaul University

5-0

Western Illinois

0-4

Western Illinois

DePaul

Blue Demons Cap Perfect Opening Weekend Sunday Afternoon

2/8/2026 4:39:00 PM | SOFTBALL

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Western Illinois Box Score (PDF)Green Bay Box Score (PDF)

DePaul opens season with best start since 2019

ROSEMONT, Ill. – DePaul softball capped a perfect opening weekend with a pair of wins over Western Illinois and Green Bay on Sunday afternoon at the Parkway Bank Sports Complex. The Blue Demons topped the Leathernecks 8-2 before rallying past Green Bay 8-3 in the weekend finale to improve to 6-0, matching the program's best start since 2019.

Sophomore left fielder Jolie Adams had a standout day at the plate, going 4-for-8 with five RBIs on three extra-base hits, including a pair of triples in the win over Western Illinois. Bibianna Rodriguez hit .800 in the doubleheader, finishing 4-for-5 with three RBIs against the Phoenix. Senior utility Brooke Cwick drove in three runs in two at-bats on the day, while freshman right fielder Addy Poe continued her strong start to the season, hitting .429 on Sunday to go along with a three-hit, two-RBI performance.

It was a complete team effort in the circle as five pitchers made appearances on the day. Senior right-hander Kelly Greene earned the win against Western Illinois after tossing 5.0 innings and allowing just one earned run. Sophomore right-hander Hannah Messer improved to 3-0 on the season with the victory over Green Bay, throwing 5.0 innings while surrendering four hits and one earned run. Sophomore right-hander Gwen Baker pitched two scoreless innings of relief, closing out both games without allowing a baserunner.

The Blue Demons outscored their opponents 51-15 and totaled 16 stolen bases across the six-game opening weekend

Game 1: DePaul 8, Western Illinois 2
The top of the lineup stayed hot as Adams and Chelsea Parker opened the game with back-to-back base hits. Poe drove in Adams with a single up the middle to give DePaul an early lead. After Kali Blount drew a walk to load the bases, Cwick delivered a two-out, two-RBI single through the middle to make it 3-0 after one inning. Western Illinois answered with a run in the bottom half, using a two-out single followed by three consecutive walks.

DePaul responded in the second as freshman Emersyn Coulter sparked the rally with a pinch-hit single. Houge followed with a base hit up the middle, setting the stage for Adams to clear the bases with a triple to left-center. Three straight walks brought home another run, extending the lead to 6-1 after two innings. The Leathernecks added a run in the third when a one-out double eventually came around to score on a passed ball and a groundout.

Levine led off the fourth with a walk and later scored on Adams' second triple of the game to push the advantage to 7-2. Ettema followed with a single through the left side to drive in her ninth run of the weekend, giving DePaul an 8-2 cushion after three complete innings. Baker closed out the contest in the seventh, retiring the side in order as the Blue Demons improved to 5-0 on the season.

Game 2: DePaul 8, Green Bay 3
In the finale, DePaul stranded a pair of runners in the first inning before Green Bay got on the board in the second with a leadoff home run to left field. The Blue Demons answered as Messer worked a leadoff walk and Coulter followed with a base hit before Cwick drove in pinch runner Morgan Rogers to knot the game at 1-1.

DePaul took control with a three-run fourth inning as Messer scored on an RBI single from Rodriguez. Madelyn Wilson and Houge later reached base and were brought home by Adams on a double, her third extra-base hit of the day, giving DePaul a 4-1 lead. Green Bay responded with a pair of runs in the fifth to pull within one, 4-3.

Blount and Rodriguez recorded back-to-back doubles to provide an insurance run, and the rally continued as Wilson singled up the middle to drive in Rodriguez and extend the lead to 6-3. DePaul added two more runs in the sixth as Blount and Rodriguez recorded consecutive base hits to plate Poe and Zoe Levine and widen the advantage to 8-3. Baker retired the Phoenix in order in the seventh to seal the victory.

Up Next
The Blue Demons hit the road for the first time on the season Feb. 13-15 with a trip to Tampa, Fla. for the Fonseca Memorial Tournament hosted by South Florida. DePaul will face off against Boston College, Indiana State, Kansas, Yale and the host Bulls over the three-day tournament.

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