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Western Illinois drops two on second day of Kansas Tournament

May 16, 2008 on 10:05 pm | In Athletics |

LAWRENCE, Kan. - Samantha Valentine was 3-for-6 on the day with an RBI and 17 putouts at first base, but it wasn’t enough as Western Illinois dropped games to Pittsburgh, 7-0, and Indiana State, 2-1, at the Kansas Tournament, Sunday.

Pittsburgh’s Reba Tutt led off game one with a triple to center field and scored on a single by Ashley Amistade. Two outs later, a double to center field by catcher Mary Hecker allowed Amistade to score and put the Panthers (9-6) on the board at 2-0. Catcher Anna Nelson caught a foul ball to end the inning.

Pitcher Lori Pankratz came in on relief with the bases loaded after Courtney Jacobson walked in a run in the top of the third. Pankratz walked in an additional run before fielding a grounder into a double play at home and at first. A foul ball to Valentine ended the inning with the Panthers leading 5-0.

In the bottom half of the third inning, Lauren Furgala doubled deep into left center field. Prieto, who walked earlier in the inning, rounded third and was called out at home. Furgala attempted to take third base on the throw home, but was caught, taking the Westerwinds (0-12) out of the inning scoreless.

A pair of walks and a wild pitch put runners on second and third for Pittsburgh in the top of the fourth inning. With two outs, Western Illinois head coach Holly Van Vlymen called on right fielder Colleen Biebel to pitch and Beth Golitko came in at right. A fly out to center field took the Westerwinds out of the inning, leaving two Panthers stranded.

A pair of Western Illinois throwing errors in the top of the sixth inning allowed the Panthers a final 7-0 lead over the Westerwinds.

Jacobson suffered her third loss of the season, while Pittsburgh’s Kaitlyn Shuster recorded her first win, allowing only three hits, striking out one and walking one.

In game two against Indiana State, Western Illinois out-hit the Sycamores (5-7) 7-4, but it wasn’t enough as the Westerwinds fell 2-1.

The first batter of the game for Indiana State was hit by a pitch to take first base. A pair of singles drove that runner home and gave the Sycamores and early 1-0 lead.

Western Illinois answered back in the top of the third when Biebel bunted, stole second and third bases and scored on a Valentine single down the left field line to tie the game at 1-1.

ISU’s Katie Armour singled up the middle with one out and scored the final run of the game on an Audrey Childress triple to right field.

Beth Golitko led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a triple to left field, but was left stranded to end the game at 2-1.

Kamren Ferguson suffered the loss, while the Sycamores’ Darcy Wood recorded the win. Wood (2-1) struck out 11 batters and allowed seven hits in 7.0 innings of work.

Britt Mason and Valentine each went 2-for3 and Biebel and Golitko each went 1-for-3 against Indiana State. Western committed no errors, however left six on base, while ISU only left three.

Western Illinois will wrap up the Kansas Tournament with a 2 p.m. game against host Kansas, Monday, March 10 at Arrocha Ballpark.
Originaly from Source