March 4, 2007
Box Score - Game 1
Box Score - Game 2
LOS ANGELES - Illinois State sophomore Casey Gorrell drove in her second winning RBI of the weekend and freshman Kara Nelson turned in a three-for-three effort from the plate to lead the No. 25 Redbird softball team over No. 17 Florida on Sunday in a score identical to the first meeting between the teams on Friday, 1-0. In the second game of the day, a two-run shot by Kelsey Warning, one of three home runs for the `Birds in the game, broke a 4-4 tie as Illinois State hung on to down Long Beach State, 8-5, in ISU's final game in Los Angeles.
The `Birds finished play at the Stacy Winsberg Memorial Tournament with a 4-1 record, improving to 15-5 overall. With three wins over top-25 squads on the weekend, Illinois State improves to an impressive 6-3 against ranked foes in 2007.
"I thought we played really well in the Florida game," said Illinois State head coach Melinda Fischer. "And then in the second game, we started slow offensively but we got going. I thought we battled back well after they came back to tie the game. To be honest, I thought we were real fortunate to pull that second game out. We're spent in the circle right now but Shannon and Stacy gave us everything they had this weekend. Shannon pitched very well against Florida and came in and persevered in game two. This was a very positive weekend for us. I saw some things we need to make some corrections on but I was pleased overall with the play today."
After the Redbird defense held strong with UF runners on second and third in the top of the first, the `Birds were the first team to score in game one on Sunday. With a single out in the bottom of the second, sophomore Jessie Buker powered a double into left field for ISU's second hit of the day. She scored as catcher Gorrell took a Stacey Nelson pitch to the opposite field, singling into right. Florida right fielder Mary Ratliff threw home, attempting to throw out Buker who was charging for the plate, but her throw skipped past Gator catcher Kristina Hilberth as Buker slid into home, giving Illinois State a 1-0 lead. The only run of the game would hold for the final score.
The Redbirds added singles in the third, fourth and fifth innings with lead-off batter Nelson leading the way with her perfect offensive performance. Right fielder Warning and designated player Stacy Birk also added singles in the ISU offensive attack.
Florida attempted a rally in the top of the seventh with Ratliff singling up the middle off Illinois State starter Shannon Nicholson. With two outs, Gator center fielder Lacy Howard hit another single up the middle to put runners on first and second. After a meeting in the circle from Redbird pitching coach Bill Kennedy, Nicholson settled down and put out Ratliff at third after pinch hitter Jenna Olmo's fielder's choice for the third out of the inning.
Nicholson pitched the complete game for ISU, giving up seven hits but walking just one. The senior right hander struck out two in game one, and entered the Long Beach State game in relief improving to 9-3 on the year with the pair of Sunday wins.
In the second game, Long Beach State scored a single run in the bottom of the third to take an early 1-0 lead. It was lead-off batter Brianna Goad who started the inning for the 49ers, smacking a single through the right side of the infield off ISU starter Birk. Goad advanced to second on a Whitney Radcliff single to Redbird shortstop Kaprice Williams and the third single of the inning by LBSU's Lacy Tyler plated Goad for the 49er's first run. Illinois State right fielder Warning saved a second run by catching a line drive off Panita Thanatharn and firing home to Gorrell, who tagged out Radcliff attempting to score. The double play ended the inning and any opportunity for additional LBSU runs.
Senior Jackie Williams jacked a triple off Long Beach State's Kelly Cross to open the fifth inning. ISU second baseman Tiffany Prager joined Jackie Williams on the bases after a one-out walk and the next batter, Amber Smith, roped a single through the left side as Williams came across to score the tying run. But the scoring didn't stop there for Illinois State in the top of the fifth. With two outs, left fielder Buker launched a Cross pitch over the right field wall for her third home run of the year. Buker's three-run long ball gave the `Birds a 4-1 advantage.
Long Beach State wouldn't fall quietly; however, as the 49ers scored three more runs in the bottom of the fifth to knot the score at four all. The `Birds were forced to switch pitchers in the middle of the fifth, after the 49ers opened the inning with a double and a single off Birk. Fellow senior Nicholson came in to relive Birk.
Illinois State didn't take long to answer with Prager slamming an RBI double into left center field. Nelson, who reached on an error by 49er baseman Ashley Levine, came across to give ISU the lead again, 5-4. Prager settled into third on the throw home from Goad in center field but wasn't there long as Warning blasted the second home run of the game, a two-run shot over the center field wall. The homer was the fourth of the year for Warning and put the Redbirds up, 7-4.
The 49ers added a fifth run in the sixth but the Redbird defense held, not allowing further damage. With one out in the top of the seventh, Gorrell launched a homer of her own, the third of the game for the `Birds, to pad the ISU lead, 8-5. The long ball was the third of 2007 for Gorrell and was the 20th of the year for the team.
The Redbirds will stay closer to home next weekend to finish the travel tournament season. Illinois State goes on the road to Cape Girardeau, Mo., to participate in the Southeast Missouri State Spring Classic on March 10-11, featuring host SEMO, IUPUI, Belmont and Missouri Valley Conference rival Bradley.
