Lauren Bierwirth went 5-for-6 on the day with three RBIs to lead the Illinois State softball team to a sweep in this afternoons doubleheader against Indiana State and give head coach
Melinda Fischer her 600th career win.
The Redbirds won the first game in six innings, 8-0 and took the second victory from the Sycamores, 5-1. Illinois State stays perfect in the Valley with 11 wins and improved to 18-15 overall. Indiana State falls to 1-10 in the Valley and 6-22 overall.
Today was very exciting, said Fischer. We won two games in the middle of the week, and that might be more exciting for us right now than the 600th win. The 600 wins are more of a credit to everyone who has been involved in the succes over the years.
Coach Fischer has been with Illinois State for 18 of her 19 years as a head coach and while at the helm of the Redbird softball program, she has coached 10 All-Americans, 50 NFCA All-America Scholar-Athletes, four Verizon Academic All-Americans and made four NCAA Regional appearances. In addition, she has led the Redbirds to five conference tournament championships, nine regular-season championships, and received five conference coach of the year awards.
Bierwirth, a sophomore on a seven-game hitting streak, went 2-for-3 with two doubles and one run scored in game one, and improved to 3-for-3 with another double in game two to drive home three runs.
The first game of the doubleheader was over in the bottom of the sixth as the Redbirds beat the Sycamores with the eight-run rule. Senior Abbie Scott went 1-for-4, but made that lone hit memorable as she pounded a homerun over the left field wall for her first homer of the season and fourth of her career.
Freshman Tricia gaither went 3-for-4 with two runs and one RBI. Dominique Borba was 2-for-4 with one run and drove home another. Emily Krueger, the designated hitter for the Birds, went 1-for-3 with one RBI. Katie Hanko came in as a pinch-hitter and got her first double of the season to drive home two runs.
Redbird pitcher Audra Rast picked up her tenth win of the season, as she hurled seven strikeouts, zero walks, and gave up only three hits in her shutout over the Sycamores.
Audra pitched very well and was solid throughout the whole game, and Katie Hanko came out very strong with that timely hit to bring home two runs, said Fischer.
In the second game of the day, Redbird catcher Katie Guilbault, a freshman, went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and one RBI. Hanko once again had a timely hit that drove home Guilbault and sealed the Redbird victory at 5-1 in the bottom of the sixth. Carly Weinstein and Kate Stake each scored one run in the days second win over Indiana State.
Corey Harris improved her record to 7-4 and hurled six strikeouts, but gave up five hits and one run.
This afternoon we had a lot of timely hits, which is what we need, said Fischer. Katie Guilbault hit well and Corey gained focus after giving up the run in the first inning and kept getting stronger with each inning.
The Redbirds will look to continue the reign over Missouri Valley softball as they host Bradley this weekend with a 12 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday, April 5, and a single noon game on Sunday, April 6.
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