FARGO, N.D. - Western Illinois had 16 hits but left 17 runners stranded in 4-1 and 6-2 conference double header losses to North Dakota State in the Fargodome, Saturday.
With the score tied at 0-0 in the bottom of the third inning, pitcher
Lori Pankratz walked the leadoff batter, who advanced to second on the sacrifice fly. In a jam with only one out,
Colleen Biebel came in on relief for Pankratz, who walked two, struck out one and allowed no hits in her time in the circle. A play at first pushed the runner on second to third.
Julie DePolo caught a line drive foul ball to take the Westerwinds (3-19, 2-2 The Summit League) out of the inning with the score remaining at 0-0.
In the following inning Bison (27-12, 4-1 The Summit League) leadoff batter Melissa Chmielewski hit a home run to right center to take the first lead of the game, 1-0.
Courtney Jacobson came in to pitch for the Westerwinds in the bottom of the fifth inning. A Bison single down the left line, a double to left center and another single loaded the bases with no outs and Chmielewski up to bat. The North Dakota State first baseman singled down the left line to score two runs. A pair of sacrifice hits allowed one final run to score for the Bison, who took a 4-0 lead over Western.
With one out in the top of the sixth inning, an error allowed Biebel first and three-straight singles by
Samantha Valentine,
Nikki Marinec and
Racheal Heagney scored Biebel and put the Westerwinds on the board for the first time, trailing 4-1.
Both teams had six hits in the game, but Biebel (0-2) suffered the loss in 1.2 innings of work, while Allison Bakke recorded the win with seven strikeouts and one walk.
In the nightcap, Biebel hit a triple to keep the sixth inning alive for the Westerwinds and score two runners, but it wasn't enough as the Bison defeated the Westerwinds, 6-2.
North Dakota State scored two runs in the first inning when Jackie Currie hit a single deep into right field with the bases loaded.
Bakke led off the bottom of the fourth with a double to the centerfield wall. Taking the Bison lead to 3-0, a pair of fielding plays pushed her to third base and she scored on a bunt by Nicole Rivera.
In the fifth inning, NDSU scored two runs on a Currie single. As Currie attempted to take second, Heagney tagged her, for out number two. Another single scored Kelly Cantrell, who hit a ground-rule double earlier in the inning.
With one out in the top of the sixth,
Britt Mason doubled to left center and advanced to third on a
Lauren Furgala single to left field. Biebel tripled deep into right field to score both runners for Western Illinois, but it wasn't enough.
Pankratz (0-4) suffered the loss after six innings, while Bekki Rasmussen recorded the win in 5.1 innings of work and Bakke tabbed the save.
The Westerwinds resume The Summit League series with the Bison with a final game, Sunday, April 6 at 11 a.m. in the Fargodome.
