Behind the hot bats of upperclassmen Emily Krueger and Kate Stake, the Illinois State softball team earned two wins in the Southern Illinois Saluki Round Robin Saturday. The Birds (11-8) downed Tennessee Tech, 4-1 before eking out an 8-7 win over DePaul.
Stacy Birk got the start for Illinois State in the circle. She got herself in a bit of a jam in the bottom of the first by walking three in a row with only one out. But the Huntington Beach native worked her way out of trouble by striking out the next batter and forcing the ensuing batter to ground out to second base.
The Redbird bats got hot in the top of the third inning with one out. Junior Mandy Garner got things started with a single up the middle. Randi Patton reached on a fielders choice, while Garner was forced out at second. Senior Emily Krueger tripled over the centerfielders head to drive in Patton from first. Co-captain Kate Stake followed with a walk, putting runners on the corners for ISU. Dominique Borba, the next batter, came up big with a two RBI double down the left field line to clear the bases.
Tennessee Tech came close to scoring in the bottom of the fifth inning, when with one on and one out, Samantha Lovelady doubled to right center to put two runners on the base paths. Birk once again worked her way out of a dangerous situation by striking out the ensuing batter and forcing the third out on a foul out to the catcher.
Illinois State added another run in the top of the sixth. Stake led off with her first triple of the season. The next two batters failed to push Stake across the plate, but Birks liner to the third baseman was bobbled and she managed to reach first on the error while Stake scored.
In the Golden Eagles final at-bat they put Birk and the Illinois State on the defensive. Singles sandwiched around a pop out put two on with two out. Birk forced the next batter to foul out, giving Tennessee Tech two outs. But the right-hander walked the next batter to load the bases and the ensuing batter, giving the TTU one run. Freshman Shannon Nicholson was then brought in to make the save, and that she did as she forced the final batter to pop out to Krueger at first base.
Birk (4-2) earned the win for Illinois State, allowing just four hits, seven walks and tossing five strikeouts. Nicholson picked up her first collegiate save in the game. Six Redbirds each had one hit in the contest.
In the second game, the Birds maintained the lead throughout but had to hold off the charging Blue Demons in the top of the seventh inning.
The first inning featured two-run home runs by each team. Saskia Robersons hit over the left field fence on the first pitch put the Blue Demons up 2-0 before Illinois State even had a chance to bat.
Then Illinois State rattled DePauls starting pitcher by scoring four runs on three hits in the bottom of the inning. Patton led off with a single to the third baseman. Krueger followed with a shot well over the scoreboard in right field to tie the score at two. The Birds added another run in the bottom of the third off a single by Birk and a Blue Demon error.
DePaul fought back in the top of the fourth with two runs off three hits. However, the Birds countered in the bottom of the inning with three insurance runs off three hits, a fielders choice and two walks, while the Blue Demons added another in the top of the fifth.
The Blue Demons started the top of the seventh with an infield single. Then the ensuing batter grounded out to third base, while advancing the runner to second. Kate Sheaks, DePauls starting pitcher, reentered and smacked a two-run homer to left center to pull the Blue Demons to within one. One run was as close as DePaul would get as Nicholson entered to get the final two outs of the game and her second save of the game.
Sheila Emms (3-4) earned the win for ISU, Nicholson picked up the save. Krueger was three for four with two RBI and Birk was two for three with three RBI.
Illinois State takes on Kansas (13-8) on Sunday at noon and will meet Southern Illinois (15-6) at 6 p.m. in the final game of the tournament.
