FORT WAYNE, Ind. - Hailey Bickford hit her first collegiate home run and picked up the win from the pitching circle in Western Illinois' 6-3 victory over IPFW on Sunday, April 10 at IPFW Softball Field.
The Fighting Leathernecks (12-19, 8-7) avoided a sweep at the hands of the Mastodons (19-9-1, 10-5) thanks in large part to a four-run third inning in the third and final game of the weekend series.
Jamie Goss put Western on the board in the first inning when she smacked a line drive over the left field fence with two outs to give the Leathernecks an early 1-0 lead.
IPFW came back with two runs in the bottom of the inning when Kristina Karpun drilled a two-run shot to left with one out.
Both teams were able to put runners on in the second inning, but neither was able to bring across another run.
The game broke open in the top of the third when Western Illinois struck for four runs on two hits and two errors.
Ashley Campbell led off the inning with a single up the middle and advanced to second on a throwing error by IPFW second baseman Kaitlyn Frost.
A one-out walk by Goss would load the bases before Erin Schlotfeldt drove in the tying run on a fielder's choice. Goss would advance to second on the play when Mastodon shortstop Alex Bosquet muffed a throw to second base.
Colleen Biebel would score on a wild pitch in the next at-bat to give the Leathernecks a 3-2 lead. Megan Kelly's two-out, two-run single two batters later extended Western's lead to 5-2.
IPFW would threaten in the bottom of the third with back-to-back singles to start the inning and chase Leatherneck starter Kelsey Michelini from the circle.
Bickford entered the game with two on and no outs but was able to record three-straight outs to end the Mastodons' scoring chance.
The freshman righty would work her way out of a jam again in the fifth inning by allowing just one run despite loading the bases with two outs.
Bickford would help her own cause in the sixth inning when she smacked a leadoff homer to left, her first career home run, to make it 6-3.
The Leathernecks held IPFW scoreless over the final two innings to secure the victory as Bickford struck out two of the final three batters she faced.
Bickford (5-5) allowed just one run on three hits in 5.0 innings in relief. She walked three batters and struck out two while improving to 5-2 against Summit League opponents.
Courtney Cronin (13-7) was tagged with the loss after allowing five runs (three earned) on three hits in 2.2 innings. She walked two and struck out one.
Six different Leathernecks recorded a hit or scored a run in the contest. Kelly led Western Illinois with two RBI in a 2-for-3 effort.
IPFW picked up eight in hits in the game while Western recorded six. The Mastodons left eight runners on base and committed three errors while the Leathernecks stranded seven and were perfect in the field.
Western Illinois will return to action with a doubleheader against North Dakota State at 3 p.m. on Friday, April 15.
The Leathernecks had been scheduled to take on UNI at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, but that game has been canceled due to scheduling conflicts.
