For the second time in two days, the Illinois State softball team didn't look like itself and fell to Northern Iowa 5-2. The Redbirds dropped to 31-17-1 and 16-8 in the Valley.
Illinois State started out well, getting on the board first with a run in the second inning. Katie Guilbault led off with a single up the middle and freshman Aundrea Parsons entered to run. Then Lauren Bierwirth sacrificed Parsons over to second with a bunt. After starting pitcher Stacy Birk popped out to third base, Randi Patton laced a single into right field. Parsons came around and scored as the throw home was too late, but Patton was throw out trying to go to second. But the run counted and gave the 'Birds their only lead of the game.
The Panthers fought back and scored three runs in the fourth frame earning a lead that they would never relinquish. Designated player Melissa King led off with a double to left center. Then Tracy Davis followed with an RBI double to left center, which bounced off the top of the wall and back in play preventing a home run but tied the score at 1-1. After Davis was sacrificed over to third, Laura Kelsey roped a double down the left field line scoring the runner from third. After advancing to third base on a wild pitch, she came home on a suicide squeeze pushing UNI's lead to 3-1.
In the fifth inning, Patton led off with a double to deep centerfield and Carly Weinstein reached on a walk to put two runners on the base paths with no one out. Mandy Garner advanced the runners a base with a sac bunt, before Emily Krueger hit a sacrifice fly to right field to push Patton across the plate for ISU's final score of the game.
Northern Iowa wasn't through as Davis hit a two-RBI single to centerfield in the bottom of the fifth for the game's final score of 5-2. The Panthers increased their record to 16-30, 10-13 in Valley contests.
Patton led the 'Birds offensively, going two-for-three at the plate with an RBI. Birk (18-6) picked up the loss for the Redbirds.
