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Kelsey Marlow FP
WIU Visual Productions Center
4
South Dakota USD 9-18
9
Winner Western Illinois WIU 10-19
South Dakota USD
9-18
4
Final
9
Western Illinois WIU
10-19
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
South Dakota USD 0 0 0 1 1 2 0 4 7 2
Western Illinois WIU 1 1 5 1 0 1 X 9 11 1

W: Ira, Emily (5-10) L: Wiegand (5-6)

15
Winner South Dakota USD 10-18
4
Western Illinois WIU 10-20
Winner
South Dakota USD
10-18
15
Final
4
Western Illinois WIU
10-20
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
South Dakota USD 0 6 2 0 2 0 5 15 16 0
Western Illinois WIU 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 8 4

W: Rachel Cue (3-6) L: Stulga, Brooke (3-5)

Game Recap: Softball | | WIU Athletic Communications

Western Illinois and South Dakota Split Doubleheader Saturday to Open League Play

WIU topped the Coyotes 9-4 in game one before dropping game two 15-4

MACOMB, Ill. – Western Illinois softball opened Summit League play and its 2017 home schedule with a 9-4 victory over South Dakota in game one of Saturday's (March 25) doubleheader before the Leathernecks dropped game two, 15-4.

"I was very happy with how we came out at the plate today in both games" said head coach Holly Van Vlymen. "It was nice to open summit league play with a win against a very good USD team. The girls will learn from today's games and come out tomorrow ready to go."
 
After Saturday's action WIU sits 10-20 overall and 1-1 in league play, while USD moves to 10-18 on the year and 1-1 in league action.
 
GAME ONE: WIU 9, USD 4
 
The Leathernecks quickly grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when Sam Ralphs reached base and was driven in by Holly Hoelting who hit an RBI double to right field.
 
Emily Ira, who pitched a complete game while earning her fifth victory of the season in the circle, gave WIU a 2-0 lead when she smashed a solo home run, the first of her career, to right field in the second inning.
 
The offense continued for Western in the third inning, as the Leathernecks were able to tack on five more runs and extend their lead to 7-0.
 
Hoelting kicked off the scoring with a 2-run home run over the left field fence after Kelsey Marlow reached via a double to left center. Then after Meghan Henson and Ira each recorded base hits, Taylor Messer blasted a 3-run shot to left center field giving Western its 7-0 advantage.
 
South Dakota recorded its first run of the contest in the top of the fourth inning, but Marlow answered for WIU by recording her third triple of the season, plating Jasmine Lara who had previously walked to reach base, giving WIU an 8-1 lead heading into the fifth.
 
A solo home run in the fifth and a 2-run shot in the sixth cut the Coyotes deficit to four, 8-4.
 
Western added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth thanks to Marlow who hit an RBI single, scoring Sydney Hollings, before Emily Ira retired USD in the top of the seventh to close out WIU's Summit League victory.
 
Ira finished with nine strikeouts, which increases her season total to 119.
 
Three Leathernecks recorded multiple hits led by Hoelting and Marlow. Hoelting went 3-for-4 with three RBIs including a double and her team-leading fifth home run of the season. Marlow also went 3-for-4 with a double and her team-best third triple of the year.
 
Ira finished 2-for-3 at the plate with an RBI and she scored a team-high two runs. Eight different Leathernecks scored in the contest.
 
USD was led by Kayla Fields at the plate who went 3-for-3, including a double and a home run, with an RBI and one run scored.
 
The Coyotes' Ally Wiegand dropped to 5-6 on the year in the circle after suffering the loss.
 
GAME TWO: USD 15, WIU 4
 
Western explosive offense carried over from game one to game two when the Leathernecks hit three consecutive home runs in the bottom half of the third inning to take a 4-0 lead.
 
After Ralphs singled, Marlow ripped a 2-run home run to center field, her second of the year, giving WIU a 2-0 advantage. Hoelting followed Marlow's home run with a solo shot to center, and then Henson continued the hitting parade with a home run to left field.
 
The Coyotes didn't waste any time as they used five hits to score six runs in the top of the second to grab a 6-4 lead.
 
South Dakota added two more runs in the third, added two in the fifth inning, and then piled on five more in the top of the seventh to increase its lead to 15-4.
 
In the bottom half of the seventh, Western was able to get a couple batters on base, but were ultimately held scoreless as the Coyotes grabbed the win to tie the series at 1-1.
 
Seven different Leathernecks recorded at least one hit led by Marlow who finished 2-for-4 at the plate with two RBIs.
 
Starting pitcher Brooke Stulga picked up the loss for WIU as she went 2.2 innings and gave up eight runs (seven earned) on eight hits. Payton Abbott pitched the remaining 4.1 innings in relief, giving up seven runs (four earned) on eight hits.
 
USD's Rachel Cue improved to 3-6 on the year after recording the win. Cue pitched a complete game allowing eight hits and four runs.
 
At the plate the Coyotes had seven players record at least one hit and six score at least one run.
 
The third and final game of the series is scheduled to take place at Mary Ellen McKee Stadium on Sunday (March 26) at 11 a.m. Fans can watch the game live on ESPN3 or listen to the action on WRMSFM.com.
 
   
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