Feb. 17, 2007
Box Score
TEMPE, Ariz. -
Fueled by a first-inning, three-run homer by senior Kelsey Warning and an additional long ball by freshman Michelle Henderson in the bottom of the fourth, the Illinois State softball team made quick work of Idaho State, shutting out the Bengals 13-0 in Tempe, Ariz., on Friday, Feb. 16. In the nightcap, the Redbirds fell to No. 2 Arizona State, 10-1, after third baseman Bianca Cruz hit a solo shot and a grand slam to finish with five RBI.
A seven-run first inning highlighted the win, as Tiffany Prager and Amber Smith strung together consecutive singles and then advanced a base each on a wild pitch. Warning stepped to the plate and took a pitch over the left field wall, near foul territory, for her first homerun of the season and 10th of her Redbird career. The `Birds quickly added to their 3-0 lead as senior co-captain Jackie Williams roped a single up the middle and then advanced on the throw home, plating sophomores Casey Gorrell and Jessie Buker, who were both walked by Bengal pitcher Andrea Coburn. With two outs, Illinois State continued the scoring surge as freshman lead off batter Kara Nelson smacked a double to right center field as Williams and pitcher Stacy Birk came around to score.
Redbird head coach Melinda Fischer was impressed with her team's ability to reach their goal of better at-bats and with the home run by Warning.
"The one thing that kept coming up in our team conversations concerning improvements for this weekend was hitting with runners in scoring position," commented Fischer. "I really think they had more determination which led to better at-bats. I believe it all came down to their focus and the players' desire to drive the ball. It was really nice to see Kelsey step up the way she did and produce for us. After last weekend, when she had the opportunity to drive in the scoring runs with the bases loaded against Oklahoma and just wasn't able to do anything, she saw the opportunity present itself again today and made something out of it. I was pleased to see that from her."
Idaho State was forced to switch pitchers 2/3 of the way through the seven-run inning, with freshman right-hander Lindsay Boughton coming in for Coburn. Boughton finished the game in the circle for the Bengals but Coburn was tagged with the loss. Idaho State fell to 0-6 on the season, with losses to UC Riverside and ISU on Friday.
With two outs in the bottom of the fourth, Illinois State added four runs to the game total as freshman Diciembre Vaca, who came into left field in the top of the third, was walked with the bases loaded and credited with an RBI when Williams scored. Warning was credited with two additional RBI when she reached on an error by Idaho State second baseman Christine Shollenberger, plating both Vaca and Prager. Warning finished the game with five RBI, giving her 10 on the season in a one-for-three effort.
Christy Colgan, who was pinch hitting for Gorrell, was credited with the first hit of her Redbird career when the junior put a single up the middle in the bottom of the fourth to set the stage for Henderson's two-run shot. Freshman Bailey Walker came into run for Colgan and scored when Henderson launched the ball over the center field wall for her first collegiate hit in just her second at-bat. The two runs completed the Redbirds' offensive attack for the game's final score.
Fischer was also pleased with the performance of pinch hitters Colgan and Henderson.
"Christy's hit was exactly what we have been waiting to see from her," said Fischer. "This will be a big step for Christy, especially after she took a swing that wasn't so good but made an adjustment, got her bat on the ball and popped it right up the middle. She really set the stage for Michelle as the next batter.
"I'm sure Michelle is feeling pretty excited right now and she should be," Fischer continued. "That home run was huge for her and should build some confidence for her as a hitter. Again, she didn't have such a good at-bat last weekend in Miami but saw the opportunity as a pinch hitter today and really took advantage of that."
Birk picked up the win in the circle for the Redbirds and improved to 4-1 on the year, allowing just two hits and no walks in five innings of work. The senior right-hander struck out six of the 18 batters she faced in her second complete game of '07.
In game two, Illinois State was the first on the scoreboard, scoring a run in the top of the first off an error by Sun Devil third baseman Cruz. Nelson reached, hitting a single to second and beating out the throw to first base. She advanced to second on a wild pitch and came around to score as Prager hit a slow roller to Cruz, whose throw to first flew over the first baseman's head for the error.
For the remainder of the game, ASU pitcher Megan Elliott made quick work of the `Birds, tallying 11 strikeouts in the win. Arizona State answered on the offensive end, as well, scoring three runs in the bottom of the first, as starting ISU pitcher Shannon Nicholson loaded the bases with one out. Nelson committed an error at third to plate senior Michelle Smith. Two additional Sun Devils came around to score for three unearned runs on three hits.
After scoring a single run in the third, ASU took a commanding 5-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth, courtesy of a Cruz homer over the center field wall. Then in the fifth, Cruz took a Birk pitch over the fence in right center field with the bases loaded for a grand slam for the final score of 10-1.
Illinois State's Nicholson picked up the loss after allowing the first three Sun Devil runs. Her record falls to 0-2 on the year. Birk came in to pitch with two outs in the bottom of the first, tabbing the only earned run of the loss. She allowed five hits and walked four in four full innings.
Illinois State continues competition in the Littlewood Classic on Saturday, facing off with UC Riverside and Iowa at 2 and 4:30 p.m. (CST), respectively.
