Senior Kate Stakes career day helped Illinois State to two big wins over Loyola at Redbird Softball Complex Thursday. The Birds (16-5) used the long ball to down Loyola, 7-0 in the opener. Stake led the way with solo home runs in her first three at bats, an Illinois State record. In the nightcap, ISU used an eight run first inning to down the Ramblers, 9-1.
Kate (Stake) had an amazing day, ISU head coach
Melinda Fischer said. Whatever she had to eat today is what we should all be eating. She had a great individual performance. She was patient, selective and very aggressive at the plate.
The only inning in which the Ramblers (5-11) threatened was the top of the first. With one out, Lindsay OGean walked and pitcher Kristen Cefalu followed with a single to the right side that knocked off OGeans foot to give Loyola two outs. Cefalu stole second just before Kheilah Williams was hit by a pitch to put two runners on with two outs. The ensuing batter reached on an error to load the bases, but Stacy Birk struck out the next Rambler to get out of the jam.
With one out in the first, Stake drove the ball over the wall in left center to put ISU up, 1-0. She did the same thing in the bottom of the third, only this time to left field, to give the Birds a two-run lead.
In the fifth, Stake led off the inning with her third home run of the day in just her third at bat. Katie Guilbault helped the Redbirds plate three more that frame with the first home run of her collegiate career, a two-out blast to left center, to make it 6-0.
With two outs in the sixth, Stake came up with her fourth hit of the day (in four at bats), a single to the left side. Dominique Borba drove her home with a doubled to left for the games final score.
Stake, the only Redbird with more than one hit, went four-for-four with four runs and three RBI. Birk (7-0) picked up the win, allowing just three hits while walking three and striking out three.
In the nightcap, the Birds used an eight-run first inning to take the lead after Loyola jumped out to a 1-0 advantage in the top half of the frame on an error.
Stake started the rally with a single that moved Tricia Gaither, who had reached on a walk, over to second. Borba pushed both runners over on a sacrifice bunt before Birk walked to load the bases. Randi Patton drove in the first run with a fielders choice, on which all Redbirds advanced safely. Lauren Bierwirth then singled to centerfield to hand Illinois State the lead for good, keeping the bases full. Another run scored on a wild pitch, while both Patton and Bierwirth advanced a base.
Following a pitching change, Guilbault came up with her second big hit of the day, a two-run single to left field. RaeAnn Ewen also singled as did Jackie Williams, the ensuing batter, to load the bases once again. Gaither and Stake each followed with a walk allowing two more runs to score, as the Redbirds headed into the second with an 8-1 edge.
Bierwirth scored Illinois States final run of the game in the fourth inning on a wild pitch after hitting a single to the left side of the infield to start out the inning. Bierwirth and Ewen led the ISU offense in the second game with two hits apiece.
Shannon Nicholson (9-5) earned the win, she surrendered just two hits and one unearned run while striking out two and walking two.
I thought we started out a little shaky today, Fischer said, but then we finally got it going. We played the kind of softball that we are capable of playing. Stacy (Birk) and Shannon (Nicholson) pitched pretty well today and we were able to get it done with our defense. This week and last weekend has been really good preparation for the conference (start) this weekend. We just need to use what weve learned and be ready to play every inning of every game when Bradley comes to town.
The Redbirds open the Missouri Valley Conference portion of their schedule Saturday with a noon doubleheader against Bradley (6-7) at Redbird Softball Complex. It will be Illinois States fourth and fifth games of the week. The Birds complete the series with a noon match-up on Sunday.
