The Redbirds defeated Southeast Missouri State, 9-7 before falling to Western Kentucky, 3-0 and finishing second in the Hilltopper Classic. Emily Krueger, Sheila Emms and Katie Guilbault each earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team.
Freshman Stacy Birk started in the circle against SEMO, a team featuring both of her sisters. Birk pitched 3.1 innings and allowed five hits while striking out four. Fellow freshman Shannon Nicholson (3-2) came in as relief and ultimately earned the win. She pitched the same amount of innings as Birk, but allowed just one hit and struck out three.
The second inning was big for both teams, as ISU scored five runs and SEMO scored three.
ISU got on the board first as Guilbault scored on an error by the catcher. Then Kate Stake scored on an error by the left fielder. Mandy Garner had an RBI single and Kruegers two run double put the Birds up, 5-0.
Jamie Birk, Stacys sister, three run homer in the bottom of the second got SEMO to within 5-3. The Otahkians tacked on three more in the bottom of the fourth and one in the fifth.
The Redbirds followed with three runs of their own in the top of the fifth inning and one for insurance in the top of the sixth. Krueger had three hits, including a double. Mandy Garner, who was two for three in the game, smacked her second homer of the year in the sixth inning.
In the rematch with Western Kentucky, the Birds managed just four hits while the Hilltoppers scattered nine.
WKU scored one run in the top of the second inning on two hits and a Redbird error. They added two more to ice the win in the top of the seventh.
Lauren Bierwirth was two for three in the contest, while Stake and Krueger each had one hit. Emms (2-3) took the loss for Illinois State.
Illinois State falls to 8-7 on the season. The Birds will take on Illinois on Wednesday in a double header in Champaign at 3 p.m.
