 After dropping the series, ISU falls to 22-17 overall and 7-5 in the
Missouri Valley Conference, while Evansville now owns an 11-23
season record and a 3-9 league mark.In the first game on
Saturday, the Redbirds posted their first base hit of the contest in
the bottom of the third when Nichelle Harrison singled to left
field. Harrison was forced out at second base on a fielder's choice
by Kara Repp, but Repp eventually scored when Jhavon Hamilton belted
her fifth home run of the season over the wall in right-center field
to give Illinois State a 2-0 lead.
Megan Warner kept Evansville at bay and earned her second shutout
of the season. The senior pitcher improved her record to 8-5 overall
after allowing only five hits over seven innings. She didn't record
a single strikeout but did manage to escape a bases loaded, no-out
situation in the top of the fifth inning. Sarah Patterson took the
loss for Evansville and dropped to 6-11 on the season.
In the bottom of the fifth, ISU added to its lead after Hamilton
reached first base on a bunt single. She scored on the next at-bat,
as Lauren Kellar ripped a triple to center field. Kellar also scored
for a 4-0 ISU lead, on a wild pitch by Patterson.
Evansville drew first blood in the nightcap with a run in the top
of the first inning, but Hamilton led off for Illinois State and
proceeded to launch a tape-measure shot down the right-field line.
Laura Canopy added a two-out single to drive home Kellar, who walked
earlier in the frame, to give the Redbirds a 2-1 lead.
The Purple Aces retook the lead in the top of the second with a
two-run inning, but the Redbirds added another run in the bottom
half of the frame to force a 3-3 tie. ISU tied the score after
Lindsey Greene singled home Harrison.
The score remained tied until the top of the seventh inning, when
Amy Gaertner singled home Tamara Robey with two outs. The Redbirds
threatened in their final at-bat, as Lizzie Andrews led off the
inning with a double. Following a base on balls to Canopy, Caiti
Kopp flied out to right field, which allowed Andrews to tag up and
advance to third.
[to top of second column] |
With runners on first and third and only one out, Harrison popped
out to second base. ISU pinch hitter Kelsey Turczyn walked to force
the bases loaded, but Greene hit into a fielder's choice and Canopy
was forced out at third base to end the game.
Jordan Birch took her second loss of the series and her overall
record fell to 13-10. She pitched all seven innings, but surrendered
10 hits and four runs, two of which were earned.
The Redbirds left 12 runners on base in the second game. Hamilton
led the way for ISU on the day with four hits, including a pair of
home runs.
Illinois State will continue its homestand Tuesday, when the
Redbirds host in-state rival DePaul at Marian Kneer Stadium. That
game is scheduled to start at 5 p.m.
___
Game 1:
Game 2:
[Text from
news release received from Illinois State] |
