The lack of timely hitting hurt the Illinois State softball team as it dropped games to Wisconsin, 2-1 and Arizona State, 9-3 in the Louisville Slugger Classic. ISU falls to 5-5 on the season and 1-3 in the tournament.
Despite scattering seven hits, the Redbirds couldnt put together a series to push the tying run over the plate in the first game of the day against the Badgers.
Freshman Stacy Birk started out strong in the circle, sending the first two batters down in order and forcing the third batter to pop out to short. The game was scoreless until Wisconsin manufactured a run in the bottom of the third to go up, 1-0. The Badgers first batter of the inning led off with a single to right center field and advanced to second on a wild pitch. The next batter lined out Dominique Borba at short. The ensuing batter flew out to right field, while the runner advanced to third and scored on a passed ball.
Illinois States only run came in the top of the fifth inning on a pair of singles sandwiched around a bunt. Tricia Gaither led off with a short single to right field. Then Emily Krueger followed with a bunt to advance Gaither to second. Kate Stake singled home Gaither on a drive to the right side, a shot that probably would have been stopped had the second baseman not broke for second base upon contact.
The Badgers scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the sixth inning. The first batter reached on an error, while the ensuing batter was hit by a pitch. Then a batter reached on a fielders choice, while the Birds forced out the runner at second. But Wisconsin catcher Boo Gillette, the next batter, doubled to drive in the decisive run.
The Redbirds couldnt put together a run in the top of the seventh to mount a comeback. Gaither and Randi Patton each had two hits for ISU. A rematch of this contest is scheduled for tomorrow at 9 a.m. CST.
In ISUs second game of the day against No. 22 Arizona State, hits, home runs and strikeouts were the stuff the game was made of. But a seven-run first inning by the Sun Devils was too much for the Birds to overcome.
Illinois States bats were hot in the first inning against Arizona State, as Gaither singled up the middle and Krueger doubled to left center. But ISU failed to push the two runs across the plate as the next two batters went down in order. They had another good opportunity to score in the top of the second when Borba got on with a walk, Garner singled and Patton walked to load the bases. But once again ISU left the runners stranded.
ASUs bats were hot as well as they pounded out six hits in the bottom of the first inning to go up, 7-0. All-American Phelan Wright drove in two of those runs with a double to right center. Later in the inning, Keri Pulcifer slammed a shot over the fence down the left field line for a grand slam. The Sun Devils also scored in the bottom of the second on Valerie Sevillas solo shot to right center and in the bottom of the fourth on two hits to lead off the inning.
The Birds got on the board in the top of the fourth inning. Borba led off with a double to centerfield and Serena Cruzs shot to left field bounced off the fence and went over to give ISU two runs and Cruz two runs batted in.
Timely hitting wasnt on the Redbirds side again in the top of the fifth, as they loaded the bases on two hits and a walk but stranded runners on each of the bases. Emily Krueger added a run in the top of the seventh with a solo shot beyond the right field fence, but the Redbirds couldnt get any closer.
The Birds finished with nine hits, three of them by Krueger, who was three for four. ISU left nine runners on the basepaths. Sheila Emms (1-2) took the loss for Illinois State, while Arizona State pitcher Desiree Serrano recorded the decision behind a 13 strikeout, nine hit, three walk performance.
