Sept. 8, 2007
Final Stats
NORMAL, Ill. - Led by home runs from juniors Kaprice Williams and Jessie Buker, and a three-RBI performance from freshman Kasey Martin, the Illinois State softball team pulled out two wins in the first day of the ISU Fall Classic tournament Saturday at Champion Fields in Normal. ISU shutout Illinois Central College (ICC), 6-0, in the first game of the tournament, and then came back to dominate Lake Land, scoring 12 runs on 13 hits for the 12-4 win.
Illinois State head coach Melinda Fischer was impressed with the offensive production of her bench players in the Redbirds' game against ICC.
"We got great production offensively in the first game from our bench players," said Fischer. "Our players who came in for a pinch hitting or pinch running role did a nice job for us, especially Kasey Martin."
Martin was an offensive catalyst for the `Birds throughout the day, driving in three runs on three hits, while scoring twice.
A key to the Redbirds' victory was the number of walks that both teams gave up in the game. While ISU's pitching tandem of junior starting pitcher Amber Smith and freshman reliever Amy Mitchell combined to allow just one ICC batter to reach base via a walk, ICC's Alaina Burd gave up eight walks to the Redbirds, leading to three ISU runs.
The Redbirds got on the board first, scoring a run in the bottom of the first inning. After Burd gave up walks to Smith and Buker, sophomore first baseman Michelle Henderson drove in ISU's first run of the game with a single to left field that scored Smith and gave the `Birds a 1-0 lead.
ISU tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Henderson led off the inning with a walk and advanced to second when junior Katie Thoennes reached base on an ICC error. Senior right fielder Andrea Shifflet's single plated Henderson, giving way to Martin, who came to the plate next and drove an inside pitch over the right fielder's head for a two-run double, scoring Thoennes and Shifflet.
Martin was once again an offensive force for ISU in the bottom of the sixth inning. With freshman Chrissy Burton on second base after being hit by a pitch, and sophomore Diciembre Vaca on first via a walk, Martin drove a single into left field that scored Burton. Burd then gave up walks to Smith and freshman Abby Olson, forcing in Vaca to give ISU its second run of the inning and seal its 6-0 victory.
Smith earned her first win of the fall season for ISU. The right-hander pitched six innings, giving up no runs, while yielding just one walk and striking out four ICC batters. The Cougars produced three hits off Smith, with two of those coming in the top of the fourth inning.
"I thought that Amber got out of some pitching jams, especially in the top of the fourth inning," said Fischer. "It was good to see her come around to perform like she is capable of performing. Amy did a nice job coming in to pitch the top of the seventh inning. Giving her more pitching experience is going to help her confidence throughout the fall."
ISU took on Lake Land in its second game of the day. The Lakers started the scoring early, producing two runs off Redbird starting pitcher Bailey Walker in the first inning. With a runner on, Jenna Bradley took a Walker offering deep over the center field fence to put the Lakers up, 2-0.
Lake Land threatened again in the next inning, producing four singles off reliever Chrissy Burton who had come in to relieve Walker with two outs in the bottom of the second. After loading the bases, Burton got out of the inning unscathed, as Lake Land lined into a double play and then bounced a ball back to Burton to end the inning.
ISU got a run back in the top of fourth when junior transfer Katie Mathis' RBI double plated Henderson, who led off the inning with a walk, to cut the Laker lead to two (3-1).
The `Birds' offense came alive in the top of the fifth inning, knocking in four runs on three hits. ISU loaded the bases to start the inning after Buker led off with a walk and Martin and Henderson produced consecutive singles. A walk to sophomore catcher Casey Gorrell gave the Redbirds their first run of the inning, and then one batter later, Olson slugged a two-run double to score Martin and Henderson. Mathis drove in the fourth Redbird run of the inning when she grounded out to shortstop to score Gorrell and give ISU a 5-3 lead.
The Lakers got one run back in the bottom of the fifth after Bradley knocked in her third run of the game with a solo home run over the center field fence.
ISU's prolific offense once again put up big numbers in the top of the sixth inning. Buker led off the inning with her third home run of the fall season, this one a line drive over the center field fence. Following walks by Henderson and Olson and a single by Gorrell, Williams belted a grand slam over the left center field fence to give ISU a 10-4 advantage.
The Redbirds scored their final two runs of the game in the top of the seventh when freshman Brittany McElmury stole home on a double steal and Olson's double down the left field line brought in Martin who had reached base earlier in the inning on a walk.
Burton earned the victory for the Redbirds, her first of the fall season. She pitched 2.1 innings, giving up one earned run and six hits while walking none.
Fischer was impressed with the play of her entire team in its rout of Lake Land.
"I thought we had really great production from a lot of different people against Lake Land," said Fischer. "This game was a total team effort, and I thought our players stayed focused and competitive."
Illinois State concludes play in the ISU Fall Classic Sunday with a game against SIU-Edwardsville at 12:15 p.m., followed by the tournament's finale at 4:45 p.m. against Missouri Valley Conference foe Bradley.
