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Western Illinois University Athletics

Henson Olson
Sarah Twidwell
7
Winner Western Illinois WIU 9-17, 2-5 Summit
2
South Dakota State SDSU 24-9, 3-1 Summit
Winner
Western Illinois WIU
9-17, 2-5 Summit
7
Final
2
South Dakota State SDSU
24-9, 3-1 Summit
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Western Illinois WIU 0 0 0 0 2 0 5 7 8 0
South Dakota State SDSU 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 7 2

W: Ira, Emily (6-6) L: Taylor Compton (6-4)

Game Recap: Softball | | WIU Athletic Communications

Two-out Magic Propels Western to Victory

Halle Hollatz put the exclamation point on a five-run top of the seventh inning with a grand slam

SIOUX FALLS, S.D.- Western Illinois (9-17, 2-5) softball scored five runs in the final inning to defeat South Dakota State (24-9, 3-1) 7-2 on Sunday afternoon (April 7). Emily Ira reached the 600 career strikeout plateau en route to the win. A single-game was played at Bowden Field on the campus of Augustana University due to poor field conditions at Jackrabbit Softball Stadium.
 
"Good things started to happen when we put runners on," head coach Beth Golitko said. "One base hit after another is what this team does. We wanted to make sure that we got our pitch and that we were aggressive."
 
The Jackrabbits wasted no time in the bottom of the first inning. Peyton Daugherty was hit by a pitch and was brought home on a double to left center by Julia Andersen to get on the board first.
 
South Dakota State doubled its early lead in the bottom of the second with two outs. Pinch hitter Erin Mullen lined a double down the left field line to plate one run but Baily Janssen was thrown out on a strong relay home by the WIU defense.
 
The Leatherneck bats kicked into gear in the top of the fifth inning. With runners at second and third, Payton Abbott lined a single to left as Alyssa Ealy scored Western's first run. The next batter with one out, Sydney Hollings plated Jasmine Lara on a sacrifice fly as the scored evened, 2-2.
 
Thanks to some two-out magic, Western scored five runs in the top of the seventh. SDSU elected to intentionally walk Hailey Duwa to load the bases with two down. Danielle Olson wore a pitch to bring home Lara as the go-ahead run. For a 7-2 advantage, Halle Hollatz crushed a grand slam into the trees over the fence in left field.
 
Ira (6-6) went the distance for the complete-game victory with seven strikeouts. 
 
"I'm really proud of Emily," Golitko said. "Meghan Henson called a great game behind the plate."
 
The series concludes with a doubleheader on Monday (April 8) with a start time and location yet to be determined.
 
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