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Holly Hoelting FP vs. South Dakota 2017
WIU Visual Productions Center
Holly Hoelting
3
Winner Western Illinois WIU 20-30, 11-7 Summit
2
South Dakota State SDSU 19-34, 6-12 Summit
Winner
Western Illinois WIU
20-30, 11-7 Summit
3
Final
2
South Dakota State SDSU
19-34, 6-12 Summit
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Western Illinois WIU 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 3 11 0
South Dakota State SDSU 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 2 8 1

W: Ira, Emily (10-14) L: Madison Hope (2-9)

Game Recap: Softball | | WIU Athletic Communications

Leatherneck Softball Tops SDSU to Conclude Regular Season

A 2-out, 2-run double from Holly Hoelting in the 7th propelled WIU to a 3-2 victory

BROOKINGS, S.D. – Senior Holly Heolting's 2-out, 2-run double in the top of the seventh inning propelled the Western Illinois softball team past South Dakota State Sunday (May 7) in Summit League play, 3-2. After the win, Western improved to 20-30 overall on the season and 11-7 in league play, while SDSU falls to 19-34 overall and 6-12 in league action.

"Winning the last game of the series gives us good momentum going into the Summit League tourney," said head coach Holly Van Vlymen. "Just like we talked about after our preseason, we are now heading into the third part of our season. It's a fresh start and clean slate where anything is possible. We just need to play hard and leave it all on the field from this point forward."
 
The Leathernecks recorded two hits in the top of the first inning, another in the third and two more in the fourth, but all five runners ended up stranded. The score remained tied 0-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth inning when SDSU scored the first run of the game.
 
SDSU's Brittney Morse ripped a 1-out double before Mallory McQuistan hit an RBI single to score the Jacks' pinch runner Alexis Ray from second.
 
After a scoreless fifth inning in which both WIU and SDSU went down in order, the Leathernecks knotted the game up 1-1. Hoelting ripped her second hit of the game, a double to right center, before Halle Hollatz hit a single up the middle to score Brittanee Knepper who was pinch running for Hoelting.
 
The Leathernecks took the lead for good in the top of the seventh inning. Nina Maggio singled, Kelsey Marlow doubled, and then Hoelting blasted her third hit of the game, a double to center field sending both Maggio and Marlow in to score and put WIU up 3-1.
 
The Jacks added a run in the bottom of the seventh to make it 3-2 before Ira closed the game with a strikeout. 
 
Emily Ira pitched all seven innings for Western and improved to 11-14 on the year, giving up two runs on eight hits. She struck out seven batters with no walks.
 
Hoelting and Maggio led the Leathernecks offensively going 3-for-4 at the plate. Hoelting also led WIU with two RBIs. Hollatz went 2-for-3 with the team's other RBI.
 
Relief pitcher Madison Hope suffered the loss for SDSU, giving up three runs on six hits in three innings of work. Starting pitcher Ashlyn Bender pitched the first four innings for the Jackrabbits and didn't surrender a run on five hits.
 
SDSU was led by Morse and McQuistan who each recorded two hits on the day.
 
The Leathernecks, who finish tied for second in the league standings, head into The Summit League Tournament as the third seed due to a tiebreaker and will face sixth-seeded South Dakota State on Wednesday (May 10) in the opening round at 5:30 p.m. in Fargo, N.D. The winner advances to face No. 2 North Dakota State Thursday at 2:30 p.m.
 
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