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Sarah Twidwell

Senior Weekend Series Adjusted to Friday Start

| By: WIU Athletic Communications

Projected rain in the forecast forced the series with Purdue Fort Wayne to begin at 2:30 p.m. on Friday (April 26) and senior day is tentatively scheduled for a 1 p.m. first pitch on Saturday, April 27

MACOMB, Ill. - The Western Illinois softball team adjusted its final home series of the season against Purdue Fort Wayne due to projected rain in the area over the weekend. The Leathernecks will team up with Linda's Fund to Strike Out Cancer in a doubleheader on Friday, April 26 beginning at 2:30 p.m. and the series finale is tentatively scheduled for Saturday (April 27) at 1 p.m.
 
LAST TIME OUT: The Leathernecks completed their first sweep of the season over North Dakota (19-30, 4-8) on Saturday (April 20). Clutch hitting led the way to a blowout win in game one and the Leathernecks held on in the series finale.  
 
Sydney Hollings doubled to bring around Payton Abbot, who reached on an error for a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first. The Fighting Hawks responded with a run in the bottom half and the game was tied 1-1 until the top of the third when a Hollings sacrifice fly plated Compton.
 
In the top of the fifth inning with Alyssa Ealy in scoring position, Abbott laced a single to left field as the Leathernecks led 3-1. An inning later, Emily Ira helped her own cause with a two-run single up the middle. Jasmine Lara bounced an RBI single into center followed by a sacrifice fly from Abbott to bring Compton in for a 7-1 advantage. Hailey Duwa put the game out of reach with a bases-clearing, three-run double to the gap in left center for a 10-1, six-inning victory.
 
Ira (10-6) won her fifth consecutive starts behind six innings of work in another shortened contest, allowing one run on four hits with eight strikeouts and zero walks
 
Western scored in the first inning in every game of the series after Danielle Olson's RBI sacrifice fly to score Abbott in the finale. Olson delivered with the bases loaded again in the top of the third. The freshman singled up the middle to bring around Abbott and Lara for a 3-0 advantage.
 
UND scratched across two runs over the next three innings as the visiting team attempted to cling onto a one-run, 3-2 lead in the seventh.
 
Abby Carlin (2-8) struck out six batters over six innings while only letting up one earned run.
 
The Fighting Hawks put runners at the corners with one out against Savannah Rodriguez in relief, so Ira was summoned to shut the door. With both runners in scoring position, Ira racked up a strikeout and induced a fly out to seal the sweep.
 
STRIKE OUT CANCER: Think Pink bubbles, pink wristbands and t-shirts for sale all weekend with proceeds going to Linda's Fund.

Linda's Fund provides support to McDonough District Hospital breast cancer patients and their families. Typically, this includes direct financial assistance to pay medical bills not covered by insurance, special adaptive clothing and personal care products for patients.

Fans are encouraged to sign up and participate in the Home Run Derby immediately following the game on Saturday (April 27). For a donation of $5, fans will face All-American Pitcher, WIU Hall of Famer and former head coach, Holly Van Vlymen.
 
SENIOR DAY: Western Illinois softball with honor its six seniors before the game on Saturday (April 27) and will have senior day ceremonies on Sunday (April 28) should Saturday's game be postponed. The seniors being recognized are Payton Abbott, Madison Boone, Sidney Bottino, Aly Compton, Hailey Duwa, Emily Ira, Megan Lotarski and manager Magan Tintori.

PRESEASON HONORS: Emily Ira and Hailey Duwa were both honored as Summit League 'Players to Watch' at the beginning of the 2019 season. 
 
IMPRESSIVE IRA: Emily Ira earned her eighth career Summit League 'Pitcher of the Week' honor after securing two wins off complete games with 20 strikeouts and a save in a sweep of North Dakota April 19-20.
 
600 AND NO SIGNS OF SLOWING DOWN: Ira is just the third Leatherneck to ever register 600 strikeouts (Holly Van Vlymen - 880, Kameren Ferguson - 763) as she has recorded 637 career strikeouts and counting. Ira currently ranks fourth in WIU program history with 590.2 innings pitched and in complete games (60).  
 
THANK YOU, NEXT: Emily Ira has led Western in strikeouts every year since she arrived in Macomb as a freshman. The senior is third in NCAA Division I in strikeout-to-walk ratio, sitting down 8.69 batters per each one she walks as of Thursday, April 25. Ira has struck out 113 batters as she ranks second in the Summit League this season. The Iowa City native also ranks 91st in the nation with 7.1 strikeouts per seven innings pitched.
 
DUWA HITS DINGERS: Hailey Duwa has currently 18 career home runs and is tied for sixth in program history. One more could propel her into a tie fourth all-time and 21is the mark for second place.
 
BEEN CAUGHT STEALING: Meghan Henson has thrown out 10 runners attempting to steal, which ranks fourth in The Summit League. 
 
SEEING DOUBLES: Sydney Hollings has hit 11 doubles this season, which is tied for fourth in the Summit League so far this season.
 
CLUTCH: Danielle Olson went 5-for-9 at the plate with six RBI in Western's last series at North Dakota. In fact, she drove in all three runs of the 3-2 series-closing victory. As a team, the Leathernecks went 6-for-8 at the plate with the bases loaded during the three-game set at North Dakota.
 
CONSISTENT SPOTS IN THE ORDER: Although head coach Beth Golitko has tinkered with her batting order throughout the season, Jasmine Lara has hit leadoff in all 33 games. Hailey Duwa has batted out of the cleanup spot in all 33 contests as well. 

SCOUTING THE MASTODONS: Purdue Fort Wayne enters the weekend with an 8-33 overall record and 3-12 Summit League mark. The Mastodons are 1-12 in road games and coming off a four-game losing skid. Lauren Watson has been consistent at the dish with a team-best .318 batting average. Morganne Denny leads her squad in home runs (4) and RBI (20). Shaina Eyre had logged the most innings (111.2) and owns the lowest ERA (3.95) on the squad but has been saddled with a 1-13 record in the circle so far.
 
Germaine Fairchild is in her fifth season at the helm of the Fighting Hawks with a 53-189 mark. She previously led the Fairleigh Dickinson and Quinnipiac softball programs before her arrival to the Summit City.  
 
HISTORY AGAINST PURDUE FORT WAYNE: Western Illinois leads the all-time series 27-11 and has taken eight of the last 10 matchups from the Mastodons including two of three last season in Indiana.  
 
ON DECK: The Leathernecks hit the road again for their last Summit League regular season series when they take on Omaha May 4-5.  
 
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