IOWA CITY, Iowa - With six strikeouts, Lori Pankratz held Iowa scoreless until the fourth inning as Western Illinois fell 2-0 to the Hawkeyes in an evening game, Wednesday.

In the bottom of the fourth inning a single to center and a walk put runners on first and second with one out for the Hawkeyes (36-17). Pankratz (4-11) made the second out of the inning with a strikeout, but a single to second loaded the bases and allowed the first run to score. A stolen base allowed an additional runner to go home for a 2-0 Hawkeye lead.

The Westerwinds (8-31) had runners on second and third with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, but left both runners stranded as a pair of pop ups to second base ended the game.

Brittany Weil (22-12) recorded the win, allowing only two hits and striking out six, while Pankratz suffered the loss.

The Western Illinois softball team faces UMKC in the final regular-season conference series, with a double header Saturday at noon and a final game Sunday at noon at Mary Ellen McKee Stadium.