May 8, 2006
NORMAL, Ill. -
Following a spectacular performance in Illinois State's winner-take-all game against Missouri State for the Missouri Valley Conference regular season championship, Amber Smith has been recognized as the league's player of the week. This is her second such honor in less than a month.
Entering the series in Springfield, Mo., the Redbirds initially needed to sweep the three game series against league leader Missouri State in order to win the regular season crown and the No. 1 seed in the State Farm MVC Tournament. After play on Saturday was cancelled due to inclement weather and poor field conditions, the Redbirds had their backs against the wall as they had to win two games Sunday in order to win the title and get the No. 1 seed for the tournament. Illinois State shut out the Bears, 5-0, in game one to set up the title tilt in the nightcap.
Smith's two home runs in her team's 6-1 win over Missouri State helped the Redbird softball team clinch its first Valley regular season title since 2003. The freshman's solo blast to right field to start the fourth inning broke a scoreless tie. After Missouri State tied it up in the bottom of the sixth, Smith contributed to ISU's five-run seventh, all with two outs, with a two-run homer, which put the `Birds up by three. She finished the game with a pair of hits and three RBI.
"Amber had a decent week, and she had a really good second game against Missouri State," ISU head coach Melinda Fischer said. "I think she sees a lot of different looks from pitchers, and that can be kind of tough to adjust to. But it was really good to see her get back on track because she had been struggling a little bit."
The Fairfield, Calif., native, who already owns five ISU freshman records, is on the verge of breaking a few Illinois State and Missouri Valley Conference single season records as well. Smith needs just one more home run to tie the ISU and MVC single season home run standard. If she gets that 18th home run, she would also at least tie the Redbird record for single season RBI (51). Her current RBI total (50) is just five shy of the Valley record of 55. Smith is the first player in Illinois State softball history to amass 40 hits, 40 runs and 40 RBI in the same season.
