Shae Wesley collected two hits and Jamie Bagnall had a home run to back Audra Rasts four-hit shutout pitching to lead Illinois State past Evansville 4-0 in the fifth and final game of the day in the Missouri Valley Conference Softball Tournament. Rast allowed just two earned runs in 25 innings Friday as the Redbirds went 3-0.
Rast was again a significant part in the Redbirds win over the Aces hurling seven strikeouts in seven of her 26 innings today. In the bottom of the seventh inning the righty was shaking and shrugging her arm looking bothered, but when she threw the final pitch that caught Samantha Doner looking, her arm did not seem to be a factor.
My arm hasnt been hurting, said Rast after throwing 314 pitches, 31 strikeouts and only three walks in 26 innings this afternoon. After that last pitch, my body totally relaxed. It felt like all the energy had been sucked out of me. I left it all out there.
The Redbird bats also played a major role in the win, as Bagnall poked her fourth home run of the season out of the park off of Evansvilles Casey Clutch.
I was struggling to see (Clutchs pitches) earlier in the game, but I knew she would give me something to hit. I think now everybody is realizing we can do this, said Bagnall, the Illinois State first baseman. (Thursday), we didnt play like we could. We were playing scared. But not anymore. I think now we believe we can.
Head coach
Melinda Fischer was proud of the way her team played against the Aces, especially during the game which could have eliminated the Birds from the tournament. But Fischer had all the faith, using Rast until the end, taking her team to the third consecutive Missouri Valley Conference tournament championship game.
UE is a great hitting team, Fischer said. We know they can produce at the plate. We were going all the way with Audra (Rast) today.
The crowd really helped. They were awesome. When the crowd is behind you like that, its a huge advantage, and I think it pumped us up. We appreciate it, added Fischer.
The Birds will play the winner of the 10 a.m. game, Evansville vs. Creighton on Saturday, May 11. The championship game will start no earlier than noon at the Redbird Softball Complex in Normal.
