Illinois State suffered its third straight loss at the hands of the Wichita State Shockers, 8-0, in Missouri Valley Conference action Sunday. The Birds drop to 25-17 and 9-12 in the conference while the Shockers improve to 36-13 and 17-3.
For the second straight day, the Shockers got on the board with two outs. This time they scored two in the bottom of the third. Britnee Barnett reached on a two-out double down the right field line that skipped to the wall. Ashley Lynn followed with a first pitch home run over the wall in left field to give WSU a 2-0 lead.
Wichita State got a leadoff single from Erin Peters in the fifth. She then stole second and moved to third on Katie McGeeneys single through the right side. Peters scored when Dominique Borbas throw to the plate on Barnetts fielders choice was late. The run gave the Shockers a 3-0 lead with no one out and runners on first and second.
After another fielders choice, both runners got into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt. With both runners on the move, Cynthia Verhulst singled to right field. Jackie Williams throw the plate was in time to get the second runner, but a controversial obstruction call prevented the Redbirds from ending the inning. Verhulst stole second, and then scored on Julie Darlings single to right as Williams bobbled the ball. Wichita State completed the frame with four runs on five hits and a Redbird error, taking a 6-0 lead.
Illinois States best opportunity to score came in the top of the sixth. The Birds had runners on first and second with one out due to a fielders choice and a batter being hit by a pitch. However, ISU couldnt capitalize as Shocker starter Lindsay Craig (17-5) induced a fly out and struck out the final batter of the inning to keep the Birds off the scoreboard.
Peters started the sixth with a double to right center and scored on McGeeneys double down the right field line. Barnett singled up the middle to put runners on the corners, before Lynn ended the game with a RBI single through the left side.
Stacy Birk (12-7) was the pitcher of record for the Birds. She struck out two and walked two, while surrendering four hits and three runs in four innings. Craig allowed just two Redbird hits, while striking out three and walking one.
