Dominique Borba went three-for-four in helping the Illinois State softball team (26-15-1, 12-6) to a 7-1 victory over Missouri Valley Conference foe Indiana State (22-31, 1-17) Wednesday, making it a three-game sweep of the Sycamores this season.
Leadoff Mandy Garner started things off for the Birds in the bottom of the first by sending the first pitch over the wall in right center. Emily Krueger followed with a single up the middle and Kate Stake singled to right center to put two runners on with no one out. Sycamore starter Emily Germer sent the next batters down in order, but Lauren Bierwirth came up with a two-RBI single to left field to put Illinois State up 3-0. Freshman Stacy Birk drove in Bierwirth with a single to the shortstop, giving the Redbirds a 4-0 lead heading into the second inning.
Dom (Borba) really looked more poised in the box than Ive seen her in a while, head coach
Melinda Fischer said, and Mandy (Garner) really set a tone for us with that home run to start things off. We hit really well today and we had some big hits in key situations. I thought our at bats really improved from what we did last weekend at SMS. Defensively there are some things well have to clean up for this weekend if we want to be successful.
The Birds added another run in the bottom of the third, as Borba leadoff with a home run to left field. It marked the starting shortstops second home run of the season and the second homer of the game for ISU. Illinois State plated two more in the sixth. Freshman Ashley Patterson received a walk, then managed to score on a double to right field by Krueger. After Amy Ehret, who was running for Krueger, moved to third on the next play. Borba drove her home with a single up the middle.
Indiana State scored its lone run of the game in the top of the seventh. Pinch hitter Alissa Hendrickson singled through the left side and was sacrificed over to second by the ensuing batter. Hendrickson advanced to third on a groundout and then scored on a Melissa Biniewicz single up the middle.
Birk, who held the Sycamores without a hit until the sixth inning, picked up the win, increasing her record to 14-4. The freshman from Huntington Beach, Calif. struck out two and walked two. Indiana States Emily Germer recorded the loss.
The Birds scattered 12 hits, while the Sycamore managed just five, all in the final two frames. Borba had two RBI in addition to her three hits, while Garner, Stake and Krueger had two hits apiece.
The Birds will be back in action at Redbird Softball Complex on Saturday with a noon doubleheader against Valley leader Wichita State.
