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Sarah Twidwell

Softball Journeys to Omaha

| By: WIU Athletic Communications

The Leathernecks will close out the regular season with a three-game road series against the Mavericks

MACOMB, Ill. - The Western Illinois softball team closes out the regular season with a three-game set at Omaha May 4-5.
 
LAST TIME OUT: The Western Illinois (17-19, 9-6) softball team scored nine unanswered runs to secure another Summit League sweep over Purdue Fort Wayne (8-36, 3-15) on Senior Day at Mary Ellen McKee Stadium Saturday (April 27).  
 
After the Mastodons plated a pair of runs in the top of the first, Rachel Everson hit an RBI double to right field for a 3-0 visiting team advantage through three innings.
 
The Western hot streak began in the bottom of the fourth when Sidney Bottino sent a bloop single to left field bringing Madison Boone and Aly Compton around. A bases-loaded walk by Jasmine Lara tied the game at three runs apiece as the next batter Payton Abbott ripped a single. Two runs scored and then another runner crossed home plate after a fielding error by the Purdue Fort Wayne left fielder. All of a sudden, the Leathernecks owned a commanding 6-3 lead.
 
Earning the start at third base, Madison Boone connected on a single up the middle scoring Ashley Minyard from second in the bottom of the fifth. Bottino collected her third RBI of the ballgame on a single through the left side of the infield and Alyssa Ealy joined the RBI single after punching a single to left.
 
Up 9-3, Emily Ira (12-6) coasted to her seventh consecutive victory as the WIU win streak stretched to six games.  
 
SUMMIT LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIPS SEEDING SCENARIOS: 
WIU holds the tiebreaker over SDSU with their series win back on April 7-8
• Can clinch the No. 3 seed if they sweep UNO, they win the same number of games as SDSU this weekend, they win the series vs UNO and SDSU loses their series vs USD
• Will be the No. 4 seed if they are swept by UNO and SDSU wins one game vs USD
and If they lose the series to UNO and SDSU wins their series vs USD
• Will be the No. 2 seed if they sweep UNO and SDSU sweeps USD

PRESEASON HONORS: Emily Ira and Hailey Duwa were both honored as Summit League 'Players to Watch' at the beginning of the 2019 season. 
 
ALWAYS ON: Not only does Jasmine Lara lead the Leathernecks in batting average but she ranks in second in the Summit League in walks as well as on-base percentage.
 
WWWWWWestern Illinois: WIU softball has won six games in a row and has won three consecutive series. Last season from March 30 to April 21, the Leathernecks won eight straight games.
 
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 651 career strikeouts and counting. Ira currently ranks fourth in WIU program history with 604.2 innings pitched and in complete games (62).  
 
THANK U, 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 8.47 batters per each one she walks as of Thursday, May 2. Ira has struck out 127 batters as she ranks second in the Summit League this season. The Iowa City native also ranks 85tht 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 for fourth all-time and 21 is the mark for second place.
 
BEEN CAUGHT STEALING: Meghan Henson has thrown out 11 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 series sweep at North Dakota (April 19-20).  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 36 games. Hailey Duwa has batted out of the cleanup spot in all 36 contests as well. 

SCOUTING THE MAVERICKS: Omaha enters the weekend with a 4-40 overall record and 2-13 Summit League mark. Alexa Sedlak, Jamie White and Emma Dargy have each hit three home runs while White leads the team with 15 RBI. Sydney Hamilton carries the lowest ERA on the pitching staff at 5.55 with a 1-15 record. Catcher Janae Cameron leads the Summit League in runners caught stealing after throwing out 17 runners.
 
Amanda Eberhart returned to the Summit League coaching ranks with the Mavericks in 2019 after a two-year assistant coaching stint at Purdue. She compiled a 95-108 record as the head coach of the IUPUI Jaguars from 2013-2016.  
 
HISTORY AGAINST OMAHA: The Mavericks leads the all-time series 14-9, but the Leathernecks have won six of the last seven matchups. The first meeting occurred back on May 16, 1975.
 
ON DECK: The Leathernecks head north to Fargo, N.D., for the 2019 Summit League Championships May 8-11.
 
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