Walk-off Home Run by Billesbach Moves UD to 5-0
Mar 8, 2014 | J.Crane
ROCHESTER, MINNESOTA - The University of Dubuque Softball team improved to 5-0 to start the season with a two run walk-off home run by Ainsley Billesbach (Belvidere, Ill./Belvidere North). UD won 6-4 over Hamline. The Spartans lost a pitchers dual 2-1 against UW-Stout in their final game before the spring trip. Dubuque finished 5-1 at the Rochester Dome over the last two weekend trips.
| Score by Innings | R | H | E | ||||||||
| Hamline | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 2 | |
| Spartans | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 10 | 1 | |
| Win: Loes (1-0) Loss: Rykken (0-1) | |||||||||||
| BOX SCORE | |||||||||||
The Spartans return to Rochester ended in exciting fashion with Billesbach hitting a two out walk-off two run home run in the seventh inning to break a 4-4 tie with Hamline. Billesbach was 2-4 in the game with three RBI. Tori Woltz (Wykoff, Minn./Chatfield) also had two hits as UD finished with nine hits in the game.
The Spartans jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second after three straight singles. Carlee Grunder (Wilton, Iowa/Wilton) started things off with a single to center which was followed by a single by Woltz. Billesbach singled to score Grunder and give UD a 1-0 lead. Hamline scored in the top of the third to tie the team at 1-1. Dubuque scored an again in the third as Caitlin Aulwes (Edgewood, Iowa/Edgewood-Colesburg) scored from second on a Hannah Koerperich (Dubuque, Iowa/Hempstead) single.
Hamline answered back with two runs in the fourth and one in the fifth to take a 4-2 lead. UD scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game at 4-4. Both Spartan runs came on a single by Woltz that scored Koerperich and Grunder.
Megan Loes (Cascade, Iowa/Cascade) earned the win in relief. Loes pitched four innings allowing onyl three hits and one run.
| Score by Innings | R | H | E | ||||||||
| Spartans | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | |
| UW-Stout | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | X | 2 | 6 | 2 | |
| Win: Workman (1-2) Loss: Koerperich (4-1) | |||||||||||
| BOX SCORE | |||||||||||
The second game of the night for UD was all pitching with the teams combining for only nine hits. The Spartans were held to only one and no runs for 5 2/3 innings before Koerperich broke up the and shutout with one swing of the bat, hitting a home run to left center. Grunder singled in the sixth following the home run but UD was unable to continue the rally.
UW-Stout scored both of its runs in the fourth in a two-run double to hold on to a 2-1 victory.
Koerperich was handed her first loss of the year moving her record to 4-1. She pitched five innings of relief, allowing four hits, two runs, and striking out four.
UP NEXT: The Spartans return to the field on March 17th in Clermont, Fla. for eight games at the National Training Center. The complete schedule can be found at: Softball - Spring Trip Schedule
Follow all UD Athletics action on Twitter at: @UDubuqueSports
