After a 2-3 loss to Marshall early in the day, the Illinois State softball team came back strong, defeating Oakland 9-2 and Western Kentucky 4-2 to tie for first place going into the last day of competition at the Western Kentucky Spring Softball Classic in Bowling Green, Ky., Saturday.
The Redbirds (9-7) are tied with Marshall (9-7) with three wins and one loss in the tournament. ISU faces the Thundering Herd at 1 p.m. Sunday, which, depending on the results of Marshalls first game (a 9 a.m. match against Oakland) could prove to be the championship game of the Classic.
After our loss to Marshall, we did a good job of refocusing and came back strong, said assistant coach
Tina Kramos, filling in for head coach
Melinda Fischer who had a family emergency. Everyone contributed in the end and the day proved to be a great team effort.
Melissa Bakers solo homer in the top of the second inning gave ISU a one-run lead against Marshall in game one on Saturday. But a three-run homer by Nicole Corrigan in the third boasted the Herd by two.
ISU had a late rally, scoring one run in the seventh, but couldnt get anymore across the plate.
Against Oakland, the Birds had a season-high 15 hits while nine ISU players contributed with the bat. April Schermann had two hits and two RBI while Bridget Fournie had two RBI. Audra Rast, who struck out eight, was the Redbirds winning pitcher (2-2).
In the nightcap, a rescheduled game versus Western Kentucky, the Hilltoppers got on the board early with a two-run home run in the bottom of the first. ISU answered when a bases-loaded single by Shae Wesley drove home one run before two more consecutive hits and a WKU error tied the game at 2 all.
Cutie Taylors double to get on base in the top of the sixth brought Schermann back to the plate, who hit an RBI single down the right field line to lift ISU to a 3-2 lead.
A sac fly by Abbie Scott secured the win for the Birds, driving home Baker who hit her own double two batters earlier.
From the sixth inning of the Marshall game to the end of the Western Kentucky game, we never gave up and challenged each inning, Kramos said. Tomorrow we get another shot at Marshall and I think the energy and mentality will be there, so hopefully we can get the job done.
