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Holly Hoelting FP
WIU Visual Productions Center
2
Western Illinois WIU 16-22
10
Winner Mizzou MIZ 22-16
Western Illinois WIU
16-22
2
Final
10
Mizzou MIZ
22-16
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 R H E
Western Illinois WIU 1 0 0 0 1 0 2 5 2
Mizzou MIZ 5 2 2 0 0 1 10 12 2

W: Cheyenne Baxter (10-4) L: Ira, Emily (8-11)

5
Western Illinois WIU 16-23
6
Winner Mizzou MIZ 23-16
Western Illinois WIU
16-23
5
Final
6
Mizzou MIZ
23-16
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Western Illinois WIU 2 1 0 1 0 0 1 5 12 2
Mizzou MIZ 1 0 2 0 1 0 2 6 9 0

W: Cheyenne Baxter (11-4) L: Stulga, Brooke (5-7)

Game Recap: Softball | | WIU Athletic Communications

Leatherneck Softball Battles but Falls to Missouri in Non-League Doubleheader

The Tigers took game one 10-2 before sneaking past the Leathernecks 6-5 in the second game

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Western Illinois softball nearly defeated Missouri in game two but ultimately dropped both games of a non-conference doubleheader on Tuesday (April 11). Missouri won the first game 10-2 in six innings and walked off against Western in game two, 6-5. The Leathernecks fall to 16-23 overall while the Tigers improve to a 23-16 record.
 
"We talked after the first game and I challenged them to come through and play better defense," said head coach Holly Van Vlymen. "They really rose to that challenge. I thought we did a good job of controlling the things we could control. Brooke (Stulga) threw a great game tonight. At the end she really did a nice job and I'm proud of her."
 
GAME ONE: Missouri 10, WIU 2 (6 innings)
 
The Leathernecks got off to a fast start when Rachel Beatty knocked a single to right center on the first pitch of the game. After Nina Maggio used a sacrifice bunt to move Beatty in scoring position at second base, Kelsey Marlow lined a base hit up the middle and Beatty maneuvered around the tag at home plate to give WIU then early 1-0 lead.
 
On their home field, The Tigers had an immediate answer with a two-run double to right center from Chloe Rathburn in the bottom half of the inning. A sac-fly by Kolby Romaine tacked on another run for Mizzou and the Tigers were not done yet. Natalie Fleming hit a two-run homer to left field putting the home team in front 5-1. Emily Ira regrouped to strikeout the next batter to end the first inning.
 
Missouri drew the bases loaded and Rathburn walked to plate a run. The following batter Paige Bange put Mizzou up 7-1 with an RBI sacrifice fly.
 
In the bottom of the third Mizzou added two more runs to make it 9-1.
 
After Beatty reached on a error and advanced to third in the top of the fifth, Hoelting used an RBI single to left field to bring her in for the Leathernecks' second run of the game.
 
With a chance to end the game early on a mercy rule, Missouri's Natalie Fleming came through with an RBI single to right center as the Tigers took game one of the doubleheader 10-2 in six innings of play.
 
Five Leathernecks totaled one hit each in the loss. Ira pitched 3.1 innings and Payton Abbott finished the game in the circle, totaling 2.0 innings of relief.
 
GAME TWO: Missouri 6, WIU 5

The Leathernecks wasted no time to score again in game two. Nina Maggio walked and Kelsey Marlow singled to put runners on the corners for WIU with no outs. Hoelting was up next and she rolled an RBI single to left field to give the Leathernecks an early one-run advantage. Aly Compton then laced a one-out RBI single to center making it 2-0 Western Illinois going to the bottom half of the frame.
 
Missouri attempted a double steal with two outs in the bottom of the first as WIU catcher Meghan Henson threw out Rathburn at second, but before she was tagged out, Pierce crossed home plate to put the Tigers on the board.
 
Maggio came up clutch with two outs in the top of the second with an RBI double down the left field line to score Halle Hallatz who had previously reached on a base hit to left field. After two complete innings, the Leathernecks led 3-1.
 
After Maggio snagged a screaming line drive at short stop, Fleming doubled to right center field gap to score two runs for the Tigers and tie up the game 3-3 after three innings.
 
Western responded in the top of the fourth and regained the lead on another RBI single by Hoelting to left. However, on the same play Marlow was thrown out at home trying to score to end the half inning.
 
The Tigers played small ball to tie the game up in the bottom of the fifth. Raime Cohen took off to steal and when Henson attempted to throw her out at second base, Braxton Burnside cruised across home plate to even the score again at 4-4.
 
The next run was not scored until Holly Hoelting belted a solo blast in the top of the seventh inning to hand the Leathernecks a 5-4 lead over SEC foe Missouri. Western took the 5-4 advantage into the bottom of the seventh hoping to hold on.
 
Stulga was strong and effective in the circle all night long by hitting her spots. The Tigers were down to their final out with the tying run standing at first base. Missouri kept battling and eventually loaded the bases when Kolby Romaine stepped in and delivered a ground ball walk-off single up the middle to give the Tigers a 6-5 victory.
 
Hoelting was effective at the plate for WIU, going 3-for-4 with three RBIs. Compton also went 3-for-4 with an RBI. Fleming and Romaine each had a pair of RBIs for Mizzou in game two.
 
The Leathernecks return to Summit League play on Friday (April 14) in a home doubleheader against IUPUI scheduled to start at 3 p.m.
 
 
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