April 9, 2007
Box Score
NORMAL, Ill. -
Five different Redbirds launched home runs for the No. 19 Illinois State softball team and the `Birds bested Bradley in both games of Monday's doubleheader, 3-2 and 8-1, at Redbird Softball Complex. Jessie Buker and Amber Smith blasted long balls in game one and Kara Nelson, Tiffany Prager and Stacy Birk all collected homers in the second game as the 2007 Redbirds broke the Illinois State single season home run record and pushed their season total to 55.
Ten of the 18 players on the ISU roster have all hit long balls this season, with the `Birds hitting multiple shots in 16 games on the year. The Redbirds improve to 32-9 overall, 10-3 in the Valley, while Bradley moves to 19-12 on the year and 4-6 in conference play.
Illinois State head coach Melinda Fischer was pleased with the offensive production and powerful hitting from her lineup.
"These girls had good at bats, stayed patient and drove the ball over the fence," said Fischer. "I was pleased with Amber, too, after striking out in her first at bat, she really settled in, stayed back and hit the ball hard on a 2-2 count."
Buker gave the `Birds an early lead, taking an Ashley Birdsong fastball over the left field wall for her tenth home run of the season and ISU's first run of the game. There was no doubt the long ball was headed over the fence, tying the Illinois State single season home run record set in 2006, giving the `Birds 51 homers on the year.
Starting Redbird pitcher Shannon Nicholson retired eight straight Bradley batters to open the game before the Braves used three singles in the top of the third to plate a single run. With two outs in the top of the third, BU strung together three straight base hits from Miriam Wegmann, Trish Kowalewski and Jennifer Martin to tie the game.
The Redbird bats then went cold, as Birdsong benched seven straight Illinois State batters, including three strikeouts. But Smith provided an offensive spark in the bottom of the fourth, smashing a two run shot over the center field fence. Junior co-captain Prager scored after notching a single to open the inning for ISU while the Redbirds took the lead, 3-1. Smith's homer broke the team single season home run mark set last season, giving Illinois State 52 total long balls in 2007. Smith's eighth homer of the year also put the sophomore's name atop the ISU career home run mark, as she tied Heather Stella's record of 25, set in 1999.
Bradley added a run in the top of the sixth, making the score 3-2, when designated player Amanda Clack roped a single up the left field line to score Anne Creighton, who was pinch running for Jessie Musgrove. Musgrove smacked a double into right center field for the Brave's first hit of the inning. BU attempted to tie the game when Bachkora hit a similar double into right field and head coach Buddy Foster waved Clack home as she rounded third. But right fielder Kelsey Warning made a throw from right field that was cut off in the infield by Prager. The second baseman threw home to catcher Casey Gorrell who caught the ball and made the tag for the third out of the inning. Prager's throw prevented the tying run as ISU held on in the seventh to take the win.
Fellow senior pitcher Birk came in to relieve Nicholson with two outs in the top of the seventh. Birk threw just one pitch but gathered the third out of the game and earned the save, her fourth of the year. Nicholson recorded the win in the circle, her first victory since coming back from her ACL injury. She improved to 13-4 on the year.
"Shannon had her changeup going and she had good control of her change," said Fischer. "She had good command of her pitches and could put that pitch pretty much wherever she wanted to today which is hard to do. The mix of Stacy and Shannon out there is really proving to be beneficial to us, which we knew would be effective when we got them both back in the lineup."
Illinois State opened the second game of the doubleheader in the same way it did the first but this time it was Nelson who started the game with a home run. The high fly ball cleared the right field fence near the foul pole for the freshman's second long ball of the year. Nelson finished the game with a perfect 3-for-3 effort, scoring two runs and tallying a pair of RBI. Jackie Williams added a run for the `Birds, scoring in the bottom of the third when Prager dropped an RBI single into shallow right field and then advanced to second on the throw home.
Pulling within one, 2-1, in the top of the fifth, Bradley's left fielder Stephanie Ramsey hit a single to right field, driving in the pinch-running Creighton, who advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Christine Cooney. But it was the only run the Braves would score as the Redbird bats caught fire and ISU drove in six runs in the next two innings. Ramsey's hit was the only hit Birk allowed in the second game. The Huntington Beach, Calif., native walked two and struck out six, pitching the complete game and picking up the win. Birk improved to 16-4 on the year.
Williams scored a lone run for Illinois State in the bottom of the sixth, reaching on a single to the shortstop. Buker hit a sacrifice fly to right field, earning an RBI as Williams slid past the tag at the plate to increase the Redbird lead to 3-1. But five runs on three hits in the bottom of the sixth secured the win and series sweep of the Braves. Two of those hits were homers as Birk and Prager both launched long balls in the inning. Prager's home run drove in three RBI and was the first of her collegiate career, pushing the ISU total to 55 on the year. The hometown junior went 3-for-5 on the day with four RBI and two runs scored.
Illinois State travels to Western Illinois tomorrow for a single game with the Westerwinds. The contest will begin at 4 p.m. from Mary Ellen McKee Stadium in Macomb, Ill.
