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Western Illinois University Athletics

Emily Ira FP
WIU Visual Productions Center
5
Winner Missouri State MSU 11-8
0
Western Illinois WIU 6-14
Winner
Missouri State MSU
11-8
5
Final
0
Western Illinois WIU
6-14
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Missouri State MSU 0 0 0 2 0 2 1 5 10 0
Western Illinois WIU 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0

W: Holly Kelley (5-2) L: Carlin, Abby (1-4)

7
Western Illinois WIU 6-15
8
Winner Wichita State WSU 12-8
Western Illinois WIU
6-15
7
Final
8
Wichita State WSU
12-8
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Western Illinois WIU 0 6 0 0 1 0 0 7 9 3
Wichita State WSU 0 0 4 0 0 4 X 8 10 0

W: KLITZKE, B. (3-1) L: Ira, Emily (2-6) S: LANGE, B. (3)

Game Recap: Softball | | WIU Athletic Communications

Ira Climbs WIU Record Book In Day One of Tournament

The junior now ranks third in career strikeouts with 435.

WICHITA, Kan.- The Western Illinois softball team fell twice in day one of the Wichita State Tournament as the Leathernecks fell to Missouri State, 5-0, and Wichita State, 8-7. The bats came alive in the second game for the Leathernecks after only recording one hit in the first game of the afternoon, but it was not enough.
 
GAME ONE
 
The Leathernecks offense went cold in the first game of the day, not recording a hit until the final frame of the contest. With two outs in the seventh inning, Ashley Minyard broke up the Bears' no-hitter.
 
Missouri State broke a scoreless game in the top of the fourth inning after the Bears drew a walk and recorded back-to-back singles to take the first lead of the game at 2-0. Jasmine Lara saved the Leathernecks from additional damage after she made an over-the-shoulder grab in center field to end the inning.
 
In the top half of the second inning, Western Illinois' defense held strong in the after two runners boarded.  The Leathernecks had a chance in the second inning, but Sidney Bottino's long ball went just foul of the left field pole.
 
The Bears added two more runs in the sixth inning to push their lead to 4-0. Missouri State tacked on their final run of the ballgame in the top of the seventh inning.
 
The Leathernecks ended the contest with just one hit, recorded by Minyard. Abby Carlin started and pitched 6.1 innings, striking out a pair.
 
GAME TWO
 
It did not take Emily Ira very long to crack into the top-3 in career strikeouts in program history. The junior struck out the side in the opening frame to earn her 431st strikeout of her career.
 
The Leathernecks bats got hot in the second inning after Kelsey Marlow walked with one out. Halle Hollatz hit a line drive down the left field line to put runners on second and third for the Purple and Gold. During the ensuing at-bat, Brooke Stulga hit a single to left field to score two runners and take the first lead of the game, 2-0.
 
With the bases loaded in the second inning, Rachel Beatty smoked a ball over the head of the Shocker's centerfielder and cleared the bases for Western Illinois and extended the Leatherneck lead to 5-0.
 
Western Illinois was not done in the second frame, as Hailey Duwa doubled and scored Beatty for the final run of the inning. Minyard batted twice in the inning as Western Illinois claimed 10 at-bats in the second.
 
In the third inning, Hollatz singled up the middle and moved to third base when Brooke Stulga doubled to center field. The Leathernecks could not capitalize and left each of the base runners stranded.
 
The Shockers struck first in the third inning after a Leatherneck error that allowed a Shocker to come home. With two runners on base, Wichita State hit a 3-run to cut the Leatherneck lead to 6-4.
 
Emily Ira showed her presence at the plate in the contest as she tripled to right field to score Hollatz with two outs in the fifth inning.
 
In the bottom half of the frame, the Shockers loaded the bases with two outs, but the Leatherneck defense did not budge and did not give up any runs. The inning ended with an impressive catch in foul territory made by Beatty.
 
The Shockers loaded the bases again in the sixth inning, and capitalized, by hitting a grand slam to center field to take an 8-7 lead.
 
The Purple and Gold could not plate a run in the seventh inning and fell 8-7. Lara, Hollatz and Stulga each recorded multi-hit games for the Leathernecks.
 
Western is back in action tomorrow (March 11) against Missouri State and Wichita State. First pitch is set for 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., respectively.
   
 
 
 
 
 
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