Senior Emily Krueger broke the Missouri Valley Conference single season home run record with a two-out solo blast in the top of the seventh to seal Illinois State's (24-15-1, 10-6) 2-0 win over SMS (23-21, 7-9) in the opener. The Redbirds got down early in the second game and fought back, but they didn't quite have enough and fell 3-2.
In the opener, junior Lauren Bierwirth nearly broke open the game with a liner near the top of the fence down the left field line. But SMS left fielder Katie Martin put her glove up and saved the run and Bierwirth was credited with a double.
Illinois State broke through in the fifth inning. Freshman starting pitcher Stacy Birk led off the inning, reaching on an error by the shortstop. Tricia Gaither, seeing her first action since breaking two fingers against Illinois on March 10, then came on to run for Birk. Carly Weinstein followed with a walk and Mandy Garner laid down a bunt to move the runners to second and third. Krueger was then walked to load the bases for co-captain Kate Stake. Stake drove a shot up the middle to score Gaither and hand the 'Birds a 1-0 lead.
Krueger added an insurance run in the seventh with her 15th home run of the season. With the homer, Krueger shattered Northern Iowa's Angela Higgins' Valley single season home run record set just last season.
Birk (13-4) pitched the complete game three-hit shutout, striking out one and walking two. Offensively, Lauren Bierwirth led the 'Birds, going two-for-three. Randi Patton and Krueger each went one-for-three. Stake was one-for-four with ISU's other run batted in.
SMS got hot to start the second game, scoring two runs in a two-out rally. After the first two batters went down in order, designated hitter Ashley Meredith walked. Then Charity Head singled down the left field line to put two runners on the base paths. First baseman April Johnson then struck out, but raced down to first on a passed ball by Redbird catcher Ashley Ogorek. With two outs and the bases loaded, Alicia Jager hit a single off starting pitcher Shannon Nicholson's glove to score Meredith from third. Another run crossed the plate on an errant throw to first base, to put the Bears up 2-0 early. SMS tacked on another in the fourth when Michelle Johann led off with a double to left and managed to score on a sacrifice fly to center by Christy Serwein.
Illinois State mounted a comeback in the bottom of the sixth. Stake and Dominique Borba hit back to back singles to get things started. Then Bierwirth grounded out to short, but Parsons, running for Stake, raced home to cut the lead to two. Borba then scored on a wild pitch, but ISU failed to score again and came up one run short.
Borba had two hits in the nightcap, while Nicholson (7-6) took the loss for ISU.
The Redbirds wrap up the series with a noon match-up tomorrow at SMS Softball Field.
