April 23, 2006
Box Score
NORMAL, Ill. -
Tricia Gaither provided the Illinois State softball team with the only hit it needed to complete the sweep of Wichita State on Sunday. Gaither's grand slam with two out in the bottom of the second propelled the `Birds to a 4-2 win over the Shockers on Senior Day at Redbird Softball Complex. ISU, which currently sits in second place in the Missouri Valley Conference standings with a 17-4 record, improves to 32-11 overall.
"I don't hit home runs very often let alone a grand slam. I think I was stunned. I don't think it processed until about two innings later," Gaither said of her game-winning hit. "It was nice to see all the faces at home (plate) and they (my teammates) were a little surprised too. I wasn't really thinking (in the box), but I heard my little cousin say, `Tricia I know you can do it' and that probably cleared my mind and I just hit the ball."
Wichita State (32-19) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first after leadoff batter Katie McGeeney singled to left and moved to second on a Redbird error. McGeeney advanced to third on a sacrifice before scoring on Britnee Barnett's double to right field. But Barnett remained stranded on second following a foul out and groundout to end the inning.
In the bottom of the second, Shocker starter Margo Pruis helped the `Birds load the bases after the first batter reached on a walk and the ensuing batter was hit by a pitch. A sacrifice bunt put both runners in scoring position before another walk loaded the bases filled the bases after a strikeout. With two down and a 1-2 count, Tricia Gaither hit a grand slam down the right field line that just stayed fair to put the `Birds up, 4-1. Tiffany Prager, who made three nice defensive plays, had the Redbirds only other hit in the game in the fifth inning.
Barnett helped cut the ISU lead to two after sending a line drive RBI double, her second of the game, to the wall in left center. Her hit scored Brooke Usher, who had previously reached on a two-out single up the middle, but that was as close as the Shockers would get.
Stacy Birk (16-6) tossed the complete game, striking out three and scattering six hits. Pruis (18-10) took the loss. She allowed just two hits, while walking four and fanning seven.
"Tiffany's (Prager) play was huge. We've really concentrated on getting some more range, especially with our middle infielders. I thought she really set the tone, which gave our players some confidence on that right side because they (Wichita State) hit a lot of balls there today.
"Now we've got to take care of business with our midweek games. We've got two at Loyola this week and we need to continue doing some of things that we've been doing well and make adjustments in some areas where we haven't done so well.
Right now we're battling for a spot (in the conference standings), and at some point people are going to be battling for seeds. It's kind of sad that we don't get to come back home because we've really taken care of business here. Something we've got to do is play well wherever we're playing."
