Tricia Gaithers first home run of the season, a two-run shot to the opposite field in the seventh inning, helped Illinois State (30-19, 13-14) down Evansville, 4-2, in its final game of the regular season.
With one out in the third, starting pitcher Shannon Nicholson was walked on a 3-2 count for ISUs first base runner of the game. After a fly out to centerfield, Kate Stake sent the first offering into deep left center for a double. The shortstop threw to the plate, but Nicholson was already there courtesy of a face-first slide.
Randi Patton started the fourth inning with a single to right field. She stole second with two outs, and then scored on Katie Guilbaults single off the top of the fence in left field to give the Birds a 2-0 advantage. It was Pattons fourth hit in her last five at bats.
Evansville (16-34, 7-20) got on the board in the bottom half of the fourth. Meghan Flanagan started the rally with a single through the left side, and Brooke Luker followed with a first pitch line drive through the right side. The Birds got their first out on a force out at second on a Juliet Nickelson fielders choice.
With runners on the corners, Sarah Stuart hit a dribbler just the right of the circle. But Guilbault couldnt corral Nicholsons throw to first as the Aces cut Illinois States lead to one. Redbird catcher Katie Mielke caught the runner trying to steal second, just before Nicholson induced a groundout to get out of the inning.
The Aces tied it up in the bottom of the fifth on a two-out RBI triple to right field by leadoff hitter Ashley Werner.
After fouling off a few pitches on a 3-2 count, Tiffany Prager led off the top of the seventh with a single through the left side. Prager went to second on Serena Cruzs sacrifice bunt. Tricia Gaither followed with her first home run of the season to left field, the opposite field, to give the Redbirds a 4-2 edge. Stake added a single up the middle, as did Patton after the second out of the frame, but ISU wasnt able to capitalize as Katie Markle got a strikeout to end the frame.
Nicholson (15-10) picked up the complete game win. She struck out three, and surrendered six hits and one earned run. Markle took the loss for the Aces in relief for the second time this weekend. She struck out three and allowed two earned runs and four hits. Casey Clutch worked the first 4.2 innings, allowing two hits and two runs while striking out five and walking one.
Stake and Patton each had two hits for the Redbirds, while Gaither, Guilbault and Stake picked up all four RBI.
No. 6 seed Illinois State will take on No. 3 Creighton in the opening round of the 2005 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament in Wichita, Kan. on Thursday, May 12.
