GRAND FORKS, N.D. – Kicking off the home schedule after 46 straight games away from Grand Forks, the University of North Dakota softball team fell, 8-0, to Western Illinois in five innings on Friday evening at the Alerus Center.
 
UND (19-28, 4-6 Summit League) was halted offensively by the strong pitching of Emily Ira as she fanned 11 hitters and only allowed one baserunner over her five innings of work. Western Illinois (12-19, 4-6 Summit League) also struggled with the bats until the Leathernecks exploded for six runs on a trio of hits in the top of the fourth to build their lead.
 
Jannay Jones started the contest for the Fighting Hawks and pitched well through three innings before running into trouble in the fourth. The freshman surrendered six runs (four earned), three hits, and two walks while striking out four in 3.1 innings of work. Emily Rosas finished out the contest for the hosts, allowing two unearned runs and a pair of hits.
 
Both teams cruised through the first inning after Jones and Ira retired the side in order before UND was able to escape a brief jam in the top of the second to keep the game scoreless heading to the bottom of the frame. Angel Love led off the stanza with a rocket into left field, but was thrown out trying to steal second to end the inning.
 
After a scoreless third, Western Illinois broke through in the top of the fourth with a six-run outburst to grab a 6-0 lead. A single and an error brought home the first two runs of the game for the Leathernecks before Aly Compton blasted a 1-0 pitch over the wall in left field for a grand slam and the six-run advantage.
 
WIU added two more runs in the top of the fifth to stretch the lead to eight and was able to hold off the Fighting Hawks to capture the series-opening victory.
 
North Dakota and Western Illinois are back in action tomorrow afternoon for a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m. from the Alerus Center. Admission is free to the public.