The Redbird softball team completed its three-game sweep of Missouri Valley Conference foe Bradley with two shutouts on Sunday at Redbird Softball Complex. Illinois State won the first game, 2-0, before downing the Braves, 8-0 in a five-inning game, in the nightcap. The Birds also shutout Bradley (8-0) on Saturday.
This is such a great start to the conference, ISU head coach
Melinda Fischer said. We played solid defensively, especially in the infield. The outfielders really didnt get much today. I thought we made some really good plays and we got good pitching. We were more prepared for what we needed to do today.
Overall it was a good week. Of course, we are still a little disappointed about the loss to Illinois but going 9-1 on Spring Break is pretty good. We just didnt take advantage of some opportunities we had in that game.
Illinois State (19-5, 3-0) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning in the opener. Tricia Gaither led off with a double to centerfield. Kate Stake sacrificed her over to third with a bunt. Dominique Borba drove in Gaither with a single up the middle to give the Redbirds an early advantage. The Birds looked as if they might score again in the second and third after loading the bases with one out. But they failed to get a run across in each time. They left a total of 12 runners on base in the game.
The only time Bradley (6-10, 0-3) threatened in game one was when it put two on in the second inning with two outs. Shayna Bradford singled to centerfield and Elizabeth Wilson got on via a base on balls. But pinch hitter Angela Toures grounded out to end the inning with two runners on.
The Redbirds struck again in the sixth inning. RaeAnn Ewen led off with a single down the left field line and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Mandy Garner. Following a groundout, Stake singled through the left side allowing Ewen to cross the plate for the games final score.
Shannon Nicholson (10-5) picked up the Redbird win, which tied her win total from last season. She struck out seven and surrendered just three hits and two walks. Jen Wright led the Illinois State offense with two hits.
In the second game, the Birds threatened in the first but were unable to score until the third frame. Garner singled to start the inning and advanced on a sacrifice bunt. She moved to third on a groundout, and ultimately scored on Borbas single through the left side. Wright followed with a RBI double to right field to give ISU a 2-0 lead.
Bradley got back-to-back singles in the second inning with two outs. But that was as close as the Braves got to scoring, as no Bradley runner passed second base all weekend.
Then the Birds came through with six runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to end the game courtesy of the run-rule for a second straight day. With one out, Borba reached on a dropped fly ball. Wright then hit her second double of the day to put two Redbirds in scoring position. Pitcher Stacy Birk followed with a two-run double down the right field line to make it 4-0.
After pinch hitter Jackie Williams was walked, Brittany Dehler came on in relief of Rebecca Bishop. Birk and Williams advanced on a passed ball, with Birk scoring on Bierwirths groundout to the right side. Then Guilbault reached on a walk to put runners on the corners. Garner added a RBI single up the middle to keep two Birds on the base paths with two outs. Guilbault and Garner moved into scoring position on a passed ball, before Gaither singled to left field driving in both runs and ending the game.
Garner was three-for-three for the Redbirds, while Gaither, Wright and Birk were each two-for-three. Birk improved to 9-0 on the season. She allowed just four hits and a walk, while striking out two.
