Illinois State handed Northern Iowa a 5-0 loss before squandering a three-run lead in game two. The Panthers went on to take the nightcap, 9-8, in nine innings courtesy of a walk-off home run by Tracy Davis. The loss came despite Mandy Garner handing the Birds a two-run lead in the sixth on a three-run homer.
With a three-run lead we didnt take care of what we needed to take care of and thats frustrating, Redbird head coach
Melinda Fischer said. Mandy (Garner) did a great job coming off the bench. You cant ask for anything more. UNI is always a strong offensive team, and we really struggled in the circle the second game. We cant continue to give up runs with two outs. We need to be ready to battle tomorrow.
In the opener, Illinois State (27-18, 10-13) took the lead in the second. Starting pitcher Stacy Birk led off with a walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Lauren Bierwirth drove her in with a double off the wall in left field. Kate Stake then gave the Birds a two-run lead with a first pitch home run to left center in the third.
Randi Patton helped Birk and ISU get out of a bad situation in the top of the sixth. With one out, the Panthers (21-22, 9-14) got back-to-back singles from Jamie Kelling and Nikki Ferden. Patton then made a diving catch in foul territory for the second out, and snagged a line drive to prevent UNI from doing any damage.
The Birds added three runs in the bottom half of the inning. Birk and Katie Guilbault hit back-to-back singles with one out. After two pinch runners entered, both got into scoring position on a passed ball. Then Bierwirth reached on a walk to load the bases. Following a strikeout, Tricia Gaither lined a two-run double into left center. Bierwirth then scored from third on a wild pitch to make it 5-0.
Seniors Dominique Borba and Bierwirth each had two hits in the opener, with Gaither picking up a pair of RBI. Ferden went three-for-three for UNI.
Birk recorded the win, allowing just five hits while striking out three and walking two. Amanda Hess took the loss for the Panthers. She surrendered eight hits and two walks while striking out three.
Stake provided the Birds with a 1-0 lead in the third frame of the nightcap. Starting pitcher Shannon Nicholson started the inning with a walk, and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Stake then drove a shot into left field, allowing Nicholson to score her first run of the season.
The lead was short-lived though as the Panthers scored four runs in their half of the third. Stephanie Aguero reached on a leadoff walk and moved to second on a groundout. Ferden followed with her fifth hit of the day, putting runners on the corners. Nicholson walked the ensuing batter to load the bases. Erin Strellner then sliced a two-run single down the left field line to give UNI a one-run lead sending Nicholson to the dugout. After a strikeout by Birk in relief, two runs crossed the plate on a Redbird error to make it 4-1.
Katie Guilbault cut into UNIs lead in the fourth with a two-run bomb to right center, her third of the season. Then in the top of the fifth, Stake tied it up at 4-4 with a one-out solo blast over the wall in left field. The home run gave her 17 for her career, good enough for No.4 all-time at ISU.
Rachael Rogers gave the Panthers their second lead of the game on a two-out solo home run to right field in the fifth before Garners heroic effort in the sixth inning. Bierwirth roped a one-out double down the left field line with one aboard to put a pair of Redbirds in scoring position to start the rally. Then Garner, who hadnt played since April 10 due to a back injury, came off the bench to pinch hit with two outs. After missing badly on the first pitch, Garner sent a three-run bomb over the wall in left field to give the Birds a 7-5 edge. Bierwirth gave the Birds a three-run cushion with a RBI single in the seventh.
But Northern Iowa didnt back down, tying it up at 8-8 in the seventh to force extra innings. The Panthers got back-to-back singles and a batter was hit by a pitch to load them up with no outs. After getting a strikeout and fly out, Birk walked in a run. Then Hess singled to left field and Patton bobbled the ball allowing UNI to knot the score. Davis ended it in the bottom of the eighth with a two-out walk-off home run to dead center.
Birk (14-8) recorded both decisions Saturday, as did Hess (11-10) for Northern Iowa. In the nightcap, Birk gave up eight hits for five runs while striking out four and walking two in 5.1 innings. Hess struck out four and walked four, while allowing four hits and four runs in three innings.
The Panthers pounded out 13 hits in game two, with Ferden and Hess each tallying three hits. Stake and Bierwirth had two hits apiece for the Birds.
The two teams will wrap up the series with a noon match-up Sunday at Redbird Softball Complex. Redbird seniors Bierwirth, Borba, Serena Cruz, Amy Ehret, Garner and Stake will be honored prior to the game.
