GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Illinois State softball team (4-7) rallied in the sixth inning, but ultimately fell 7-4 to Georgia Southern (8-3) to open the Aquafina Invitational on Friday afternoon.
Senior Alex Caliva hit a one-out single in the top of the first and made her way around the bases on a double down the left field line by Allison Spence to put the Redbirds on the board. A triple down the right field line by Georgia Southern scored a runner from first to knot the game at one-all. The Eagles etched two more runs on the board to hold the 3-1 advantage after one inning of play.
Anni Borries was patient at the plate and was walked to start the second inning. Back-to-back singles to left field by Shannon Felde and Caliva brought Borries home to give the Redbirds a run back. In the bottom half of the inning, Georgia Southern scratched another across to take a 4-2 lead over Illinois State.
With two outs in the top of the third inning, Riley Hale dropped a single into right field. A second walk issued to Borries put two runners on base, who advanced into scoring position on a wild pitch, but were left stranded. A solo home run in the home half of the inning pushed the Eagles out to a three-run lead going into the fourth.
Freshman right-hander Morgan Day stepped into the circle in the fourth to take over pitching duties. The Tuscola, Illinois, native threw three-straight strikes to the next batter to help Illinois State escape the inning, but the Redbirds trailed 7-2.
Both sides put a pair of runners on base in the fifth, but were held scoreless. Newcomer Ashley Emert stepped in to pinch hit for the Redbirds and was dealt a lead-off walk to start sixth inning momentum for Illinois State. In the next at-bat, Felde singled to right field, while a single to left field by Caliva juiced the bases for the Redbirds. The Eagles' seventh issued walk of the game, this time to Spence, helped Illinois State scratch its third run across. A wild pitch by Georgia Southern brought home the fourth Redbird run to help Illinois State chip away at the Eagles' lead.
The Redbirds didn't give up, but were put down in order in the seventh, putting their comeback to a halt.
Illinois State will return to the field this evening to face the nationally ranked Florida Gators at approximately 6 p.m.
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