March 4, 2006
Box Score
PLANT CITY, Fla. -
The Illinois State softball team put on an offensive clinic on the second day of play at the Plant City Tournament, as the `Birds shut out both Buffalo, 11-0, and Toledo, 8-0. Four different players homered for the Redbirds.
Against Buffalo, Illinois State (6-6) scored four runs with two outs in the first inning. With runners on first and second, Kelsey Warning drove in the lead runner on a single to left field. Starting pitcher Stacy Birk then homered to centerfield to give ISU a four-run lead heading into the bottom of the first. Amber Smith then walked with the bases loaded and two out in the second to put another run on the board for the `Birds.
Birk started a second Redbird rally in the third. After she walked, Katie Guilbault singled to left field. Then everyone was safe on Kaprice Williams' fielder's choice sacrifice bunt. Tiffany Prager received a base on balls to push a run across and make it 6-0. Casey Gorrell also walked adding another run, and Tricia Gaither drove in the third run of the frame with an infield fielder's choice. Smith plated the final run of the frame on a RBI single to right field.
Buffalo threatened in the second after putting a pair of runners on courtesy of a single and a walk with two outs, but the Bulls were unable to get on the board as the ensuing batter struck out swinging.
Freshman Jessie Buker's first collegiate home run, a two-run shot to left field, in the top of the fifth sealed the victory for the Redbirds.
Birk (4-2) surrendered just two hits and a pair of walks while striking out six. The junior pitcher also led the ISU offense, going three-for-three with three RBI and two runs scored.
After giving up back-to-back one-out singles to Toledo in the first, the Redbirds and starter Shannon Nicholson settled down and allowed just two more hits the entire game. ISU did prevent the Rockets from getting on the board in the opening frame as Tiffany Prager picked up the ball after an ISU error on the infield and threw the runner out at the plate as she tried to sneak across.
Warning, a junior transfer from Nebraska-Omaha, smacked the first home run of her Illinois State career in the bottom of the second, a two-run shot to centerfield, to give ISU a 2-0 advantage against Toledo. The `Birds added another run the following inning after Patton reached on an error, and came around to score on Smith's single to left after the ball went through the left fielder's legs.
Birk, the designated player in game two, started the fourth frame with a single to centerfield. Buker followed with a single to left, and Williams reached on an error to load the bases. Following a lineout and a groundout, Tricia Gaither drove in a pair of runs with a single to centerfield, making it 5-0.
Smith's solo home run in the fifth and Birk's RBI single gave Illinois State a seven-run lead heading into the sixth. Jen Wright added a pinch hit RBI single in the bottom of the sixth for the final run necessary to end the game early via the run-rule.
Birk again led the offense with three hits as the Redbirds tied their season high with 11 hits. Gaither and Warning drove in two runs apiece, while the pair and Smith each had two hits. Nicholson (2-4) allowed just four hits and one walk, while striking out five.
Sunday, the `Birds wrap up the tournament with a 9 a.m. contest against Boston and a rematch against Temple at 11:30 a.m. CST.
