The Illinois State softball teams win streak was haulted at six after falling to Iowa, 4-0, in the second game of the doubleheader on Wednesday at Pearl Field stadium. The Birds defeated the Hawkeyes in game one, 5-1, as junior Audra Rast picked up her fifth straight win.
Iowa took the reigns in the second game scoring two runs in the bottom of the fourth off of a double and three singles against Illinois States Corey Harris, grabbing the Hawkeye lead.
The Hawkeyes hard hitting wouldnt stop as freshman Lisa Birocci drilled a two-run shot in the bottom of six increasing their lead, 4-0. Iowa finished with eight hits against the Birds.
Illinois State found only one hit against Birocci, who threw up the first one-hitter of her collegiate career, improving her record to 3-4 on the season.
I thought we played really well in the first game, said head coach
Melinda Fischer of the Birds win. Its always nice to get out and play and we were lucky we got to do that.
In the second game their (Hawkeyes) freshman pitcher did a nice job for them, but in the same respect, I thought we hit hard just not in the right places, added Fischer.
In game one, Illinois State started out hitting hard against Iowas All-American Kristy Hanks (6-8). Cutie Taylor began the rally for the Birds by hitting her first double of the season which smacked the left field fence. Then in the fifth, the Redbirds had a huge inning scoring four runs to give them the upper hand.
The Redbirds rallied for four hits during the inning tagging two doubles and two singles. Wesley earned her first double of the season and Kate Stake added her third which helped to give the Birds a 4-0 advantage.
Iowa looked to come back in the bottom of the inning off a double by Katie Boney that cruised over Taylors head in left field, but the Hawkeyes couldnt get enough as Rast struck out Kristin Johnson to end the inning.
Lauren Bierwirth hit her second homerun of the season blasting a fastball deep over the left field wall off of Iowas Sarah Thompson giving the Redbirds a 5-1 lead which would be the final score of the game.
Rast earned her eighth win, fifth straight, thus far improving her record to 8-2 overall. Hanks took the loss for the Hawkeyes giving up five hits and four runs in five innings pitched.
The Redbirds will travel to Carbondale, Ill., to vie with Valley foe, Southern Illinois
(16-8, 5-0) in a three-game series on Saturday and Sunday. The two teams are currently tied for the no. 1 spot in conference play.
