March 20, 2007
Box Score
NORMAL, Ill. -
Jessie Buker's seventh inning home run over the center field wall scored the game-tying run for the No. 17 Illinois State softball team and just a batter later, Casey Gorrell launched a walk-off homer to left and secured the 7-6 victory over in-state rival Illinois Tuesday afternoon at Redbird Softball Complex.
The Redbirds hit three long balls in the win, as the squad has now hit 42 total on the year. Illinois State improves to 24-6 in 2007, while Illinois moves to 16-10.
Illinois State head coach Melinda Fischer, whose team has won five straight games, acknowledged Illinois' strengths and the seventh inning homers by Buker and Gorrell.
"Illinois is a great hitting team, but we are very familiar with their pitchers," said Fischer. "We had to take advantage of our opportunities to score when we had them. In that last inning, both Jessie and Casey had great at bats for us, Jessie to get us back in the ballgame and then Casey to win it for us. Casey had kind of struggled all day, but we believed in her and knew she would put everything into that last at bat. She sat back, watched the pitch and swung and that ball really went. That was great to see."
With an 0-1 count in the bottom of the first, sophomore Amber Smith hit her sixth homer of the season. Smith's ball, hit against the wind to left field, cleared the wall and game the `Birds the early 2-0 lead. Tiffany Prager, who got ISU's first hit of the game with a single to left, trotted home on the play.
Illinois threatened in the top of the second when, after collecting two outs in the inning, Illinois State pitcher Stacy Birk walked the three next Illini batters to load the bases. The Redbird defense held strong and ended UI's scoring opportunity, however, when Prager fielded a ball hit to second and threw to first for the third out. Illinois was not able to score in the next two innings as Birk retired six straight batters, recording a pair of strikes.
Reaching on a fielding error by Illini shortstop Angelina Mexicano, Birk settled into first to open the bottom of the fourth. With one out, freshman designated player Michelle Henderson smacked a double off the left field wall with Birk advancing to third. Jackie Williams came to bat with the two runners in scoring position and hit another ball to Mexicano. The junior shortstop attempted a throw home but Birk slid under the tag for the Redbird's third run as Williams reached on the fielder's choice.
Illinois answered in the top of the fifth, using two home runs to cut ISU's lead to one, 3-2. With one out, Mexicano took a Birk pitch over the right field wall, over the head of Redbird outfielder Kelsey Warning, for her eighth homer of the year. After Illini third baseman popped out to Buker at shortstop, Illinois' catcher Lana Armstrong launched a long ball to center field for the second, one-run shot of the inning.
The Fighting Illini then tied the game in the top half of the sixth inning. Designated player Sydney Lisy led off for Illinois and was hit by a Birk pitch. Lisy advanced to third on consecutive balls hit to Prager at second, who threw to first for two quick outs. Illini right fielder Hope Howell then roped a pitch into the 8-9 gap as Warning dove attempting to catch the line drive. Warning couldn't come up with the grab as Lisy scored the tying run as Howell settled into second with a double. Buker caught another pop-up for the third out of the sixth.
But Illinois State plated two runs on two hits in the bottom half of the inning to take a 5-3 lead. Prager recorded a single to center field for her third hit of the day, driving in an RBI and Smith also hit a left-field single to end the day with a 2-for-4 effort. Smith's three RBI lead the `Birds.
Illinois made a run for the win in the top of the seventh as Shanna Diller opened the inning with a single off Birk. Tallying three other hits in the inning, the Illini tied the score at five before plating an extra run to take a 6-5 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh. Smith was substituted in relief of Birk with one out as the sophomore went on to earn her second win of the season, improving to 2-0.
Leading off the seventh for Illinois State, Buker, the reigning Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week, blasted an Ashley Wright pay-off pitch to tie the game at six. Gorrell, who hadn't collected a hit on the day at that point, then knocked the ball out of the park to secure the Redbird win, 7-6.
Illinois State concludes its seven game home series with DePaul on Wednesday. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Redbird Softball Complex.
