May 19, 2007
Box Score
EVANSTON, Ill. -
A solid pitching performance from senior right hander Stacy Birk and a sixth inning insurance run courtesy of a solo shot by Kaprice Williams, pushed the No. 25 Illinois State softball team past Notre Dame, 3-1, in NCAA Regional play on Saturday afternoon in Evanston, Ill.
The win was the second for the `Birds over the Fighting Irish in as many days as ISU improves to 44-16-1 on the year. Illinois State will play in its third NCAA Regional Championship game tomorrow, after its last appearance in 2001. Notre Dame's season ended with the two losses to the Redbirds, fishing 2007 with a 33-24 mark.
It was the Redbirds' turn to benefit from an error in the first inning, when the first ISU run was scored on a Fighting Irish defensive miscue. With one out, Tiffany Prager smacked a single through the right side of the infield and was joined on the bases by Jessie Buker who hit a single up the middle. Both runners advanced a base on the throw to the infield that rolled through Notre Dame catcher Gessica Hufnagle's legs and to the backstop. Just a pitch later, Prager scored on a Brittany Bargar wild pitch.
But the 1-0 Redbird lead was short-lived when the Irish tied the game at one apiece in the top of the second. Getting hit by a Birk pitch to open the inning, Christina Lux took first base and advanced to second when Beth Norway hit a single to shallow center field. The pair advanced a base each on a Carissa Jaquish sacrifice bunt and Lux crossed when Bargar hit a grounder to ISU shortstop Williams. Bargar was out on the play, the second of the inning, but Lux's run knotted the score at one.
Notre Dame intentionally walked Amber Smith, who had struck out in her first at bat, in the bottom of the third to load the bases, brining Jessie Buker up to the plate. Buker was credited with an RBI, her third on the day, when the sophomore left fielder hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Jackie Williams, who was hit by a pitch to open the inning. With Williams' run, Illinois State took a 2-1 lead.
Illinois State head coach Melinda Fischer discussed what she thought to be the key hit of the game.
"I thought we played great defense today and got hits with runners in scoring position," said Fischer. "I felt that Jessie had the key hit in the lineup for us, hitting that sacrifice fly and driving in the go-ahead run. I moved her up in the lineup a little bit and she accepted that challenge and did a great job. Kaprice really helped us out with her move in the lineup, as well."
Birk retired 12 of 14 batters from the second to the sixth inning, giving up a hit and a walk in the stretch. The senior hurler recorded the decision in the circle, her first since May 5 vs. Missouri State, improving to 20-8 with the victory. Birk, a Huntington Beach, Calif., native gave up just four hits to the Notre Dame offense and helped to strand six base runners.
"Stacy did a great job out there," Fischer continued. "She got behind on a couple of batters, 3-0, but battled back and got them out and that was great to see, especially at this point in the season. Stacy was ready to pitch and hadn't been out there for a full outing in awhile and I thought she pitched a great game for us."
With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Kaprice Williams took a 2-1 Bargar pitch over the left field fence for her 10th home run of the year. Williams' round tripper was the 83rd of the season for the Redbirds and gave ISU a 3-1 lead that held for the final score.
ISU gathered six hits, with Nelson leading the way with a 2-for-3 effort. Buker and Williams were credited with an RBI each.
Illinois State will take on Northwestern, the only team that has handed it a loss in at the NCAA Regional, at noon on Sunday. The game will be played at Sharon J. Drysdale Field and in order for the `Birds to win the NCAA Regional title they must deal the Wildcats a pair of losses, with the second game being played 35 minutes after the conclusion of game one on Sunday.
