Sept. 22, 2007
Box Score
KIRKWOOD, Mo. -
Dominant pitching performances once again equaled success for the Illinois State softball team, as the Redbirds picked up two victories Saturday at the Reverse Exposure Tournament in Kirkwood, Mo. Sophomore walk-on Amy Mitchell pitched a complete game, one-hitter for the Redbirds in their 3-1 victory over Saint Louis, while junior Amber Smith picked up her fifth win of the fall season with a 1-0 blanking of in-state foe Eastern Illinois in ISU's second game of the day.
Illinois State concluded the competitive portion of its fall tournament season with a 10-1 record.
"Amy struggled a little in the first inning of our game against Saint Louis, but she settled down and did a great job for us after that," said Fischer. "We had a little pitcher-catcher miscommunication, but once we figured that out, Amy did a really nice job in the circle (Saturday). Amber showed another strong pitching performance, and she made key pitches in key situations."
Taking on Saint Louis in its first game of the tournament, Illinois State found itself down by a run early when the Billikens scored a run in the top of the first inning. After the Saint Louis lead-off batter walked, and advanced to third base, a passed ball by Redbird catcher Casey Gorrell gave Saint Louis the 1-0 advantage.
The Redbirds waited until the bottom of the fifth inning to take control of the game, thanks to big hits by junior Jessie Buker and junior Katie Mathis. Buker led off the inning with a triple into deep right field, and eventually scored when Gorrell sacrificed her home with a fly ball to the Billiken right fielder. Mathis stepped to the plate next and drove a Stacy Gillette pitch into right-center field that touched the top of the outfield fence before falling over the other side for a solo home run, putting ISU on top, 2-1.
Smith, playing at first base in ISU's game against Saint Louis, added an insurance run for the Redbirds in the bottom of the sixth inning when she doubled into the left-center field gap, scoring senior right fielder Andrea Shifflet, who had reached base earlier in the inning on a double of her own.
Mitchell pitched seven full innings, earning her third win of the fall season. She gave up just one hit, a lead-off single to the Billikens in the top of the sixth inning, while striking out eight and walking just two. Mitchell's one-hitter was the second of the fall season by a Redbird pitcher, as Smith threw a one-hit, complete game shutout (4-0) against Bradley Sept. 9 at the Illinois State Fall Classic.
Facing in-state rival Eastern Illinois in its second game of the day, Illinois State got on the board in the first inning, getting to EIU's Kathleen Jacoby for one run on two hits. Junior second baseman Tiffany Prager started the Redbird offense with a single up the middle, and after Smith pushed her over to second base with a single into left field, a Buker ground ball back to the Panthers' second baseman was booted, allowing Prager to score from second, giving ISU a 1-0 lead. The `Birds had another opportunity to score later in the inning when they loaded the bases with just one out, but a fly ball by first baseman Michelle Henderson and a pop-up to the Eastern Illinois shortstop by Gorrell ended the ISU rally with three Redbirds left on base.
An ISU offensive threat was once again thwarted by the Panthers in the top of the third inning. With runners on first and third base, shortstop Kaprice Williams popped-up to Jacoby on a bunt-for-a-hit attempt, and in the process, doubled-off Smith, who was on third base at the time, to end the potential Redbird offensive spurt.
The Redbirds' run in the top of the first inning turned out to be the lone run of the game scored by either side, as the ISU offense stalled in the middle innings. The `Birds left a combined four runners on base in innings three through five. Mixing her pitches and speeds throughout the game, Jacoby was successful at keeping the Redbird offense off balance all game, yielding 10 ISU infield fly balls.
"I thought that we had some scoring opportunities that we didn't take care of in the second game, but we did a nice job of protecting that one run that we scored," said Fischer.
Smith pitched a complete game, five-hitter to earn her team-best fifth win of the fall tournament season. She gave up just one walk, while striking out eight Panther batters.
The Redbirds conclude their fall schedule Sunday when they host 14 former ISU softball players for the team's annual alumni game at Redbird Softball Complex. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.
