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Western Illinois University Athletics

WalkOff_Celebration
7
South Dakota State SDSU 11-19
8
Winner Western Illinois WIU 9-22
South Dakota State SDSU
11-19
7
Final
8
Western Illinois WIU
9-22
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
South Dakota State SDSU 0 3 0 0 1 0 3 7 11 3
Western Illinois WIU 3 1 0 0 0 2 2 8 11 1

W: Abbott, Payton (2-0) L: Ashlyn Bender (5-11)

Game Recap: Softball | | WIU Athletic Communications

Leathernecks Walk Off Jackrabbits, Take Series

Rachel Beatty hit a two-run walk off double in the bottom of the second en route to 8-7 victory

MACOMB, Ill. – Rachel Beatty hit a two-run, walk-off double in the bottom of the seventh as the Western Illinois softball team defeated the South Dakota State Jackrabbits in Summit League action Saturday afternoon (March 26) by a score of 8-7 to take the three-game series. The back-and-forth game, which ended in favor of the Leathernecks, moved WIU to 9-22 (2-1 Summit) on the season. With the loss, the Jackrabbits drop to 11-19 (1-2 Summit).
 
"We talked yesterday about how we really let one inning get away from us and how it hurt us and today weren't going to do that so I was really proud of them," said head coach Holly Van Vlymen. "We've been the kind of team this year that we fight all the way through. We've talked about how we play with heart and passion. We have a lot of confidence in each other and they were feeding off of each other. I had a feeling, I knew we were going to win that game and I'm very proud of our girls."

Karissa Kouchis got things started for the Leathernecks in the top of the first with a single to right field. Tierney Bottino followed up Kouchis' single with a single of her own to left field to extend her career-high hitting streak to eight games. Aly Compton then reached on a fielder's choice to load the bases for Holly Hoelting who was hit by a pitch to give Western a 1-0 lead. With the bases still loaded after Hailey Duwa reached on a fielder's choice, Nina Maggio reached first on an error by the Jackrabbit pitcher and advanced to second, scoring Compton in the process. With one inning in the books, Western had the 3-0 lead.
 
The Jackrabbits wasted no time responding as Ali Herdliska launched a solo home run in the top of the second. SDSU would score two more runs that inning to knot the game up at 3-3.
 
The tie would not last for long as Rachel Beatty hit her second home run of the season, a solo shot to center field, to give the Leathernecks their lead back by a score of 4-3 at the end of the second inning.
 
After both sides were held scoreless in the third and fourth inning, SDSU tied things up in the top of the fifth with a sacrifice fly to center field.
 
With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, Kouchis got a Leatherneck rally started with her second hit of the game, a single to center field. After Kouchis advanced to second on a wild pitch, Bottino drew a walk to put two on for Kelsey Marlow. Marlow then smacked a single to second base to score Kouchis and Western took a 5-4 lead. Compton then continued the rally with a single to center field as Bottino came around to score. At the end of the sixth inning, Western held a 6-4 lead.
 
SDSU made things interesting in the top of the seventh. With two outs, Abbey Murphy and Lydnsey Crist each hit back-to-back RBI doubles and Danielle Steffo hit a RBI single to give the Jackrabbits a 7-6 lead.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, Duwa hit a single to right field and brought on Kacyee Hart to pinch run. Maggio then reached first on a fielding error by the third baseman to put two on for Taylor Messer. Messer then hit a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners to scoring position. Beatty then stepped up to the plate and launched the game winning two-run double to center field, scoring Hart and Maggio and the Leathernecks took the 8-7 victory.
 
The Leathernecks garnered eleven hits in their third walk off victory of the season. Kouchis, Marlow, Duwa and Beatty each had multiple-hit games, while Beatty lead the team with a career-high three RBIs. Emily Ira made her second start of the series, pitching 5 ½ innings with seven hits, four earned runs, and three strikeouts. Payton Abbott came in for relief, pitching 1 1/3 innings and giving up three earned runs off of four hits. Abbott was credited with the win to move to 2-0 on the season.
 
The Purple and Gold head back out on the road as they travel to South Dakota next weekend for a series against the Coyotes. The teams will play a doubleheader on April 2 beginning at noon. The series finale will take place the following day at 11 a.m.
 
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