Senior Nicole Kurths stellar performance on the mound, where in game one she had a no-hitter against the Southern Illinois Salukis and recorded 18 strikeouts, shattering the Illinois State single-game mark of 13, led the Redbird softball team to a split against SIU on Saturday at the Redbird Softball Complex. ISU won 1-0, while Southern grabbed game two, 1-0.
Kurth struck out nine consecutive batters to start the first game of the Missouri Valley Conference doubleheader en route to her twelfth win of the year, After game twos loss, ISUs overall record stands at 20-10 and 9-1 in the Valley. Southern Illinois (24-10, 10-2) came back strong in game two, scoring an early run in the first to hand the Birds their first league loss.
Cutie Taylors sacrifice fly in the bottom of the third of game one drove home Bridget Fournie who led off the inning with a double to centerfield. She advanced to third on a sac bunt by Becky McMurtry before Taylor brought her home.
In game two, Netty Hallahan doubled to left field to start the first inning before advancing to third on a sac bunt. Another double, this time by Amanda Rexroat, drove Hallahan to the plate, scoring the Salukis only run on the day which proved to be the game winner.
With the true dual on the mound between the first and second place teams in the Valley softball standings, Kurth ended the day with 27 strike outs in two starts while SIUs Erin Stremsterfer allowed five hits in game one while striking out four before entering game two and getting her fourth save of the year.
Kurths no-hitter is her first of the year and second of her ISU career. She held the previous single-game strikeout record (13), which she set last season against Northern Illinois.
The Redbirds wrap-up the three-game series Sunday with a single game beginning at noon.
