Feb. 9, 2008
Final Stats | UCF Tournament Day 2 Quotes 
ORLANDO -
After three-straight games where the bottom half of its lineup went hitless, the Illinois State softball team (2-2) saw its offense explode for 12 hits, as it took down 2007 NCAA Tournament participant North Carolina State (1-2), 7-3, at the Central Florida at the UCF Softball Complex Saturday afternoon. Junior first baseman/pitcher Amber Smith set a career-high for hits in a game with four, as she drove in three of ISU's runs on a 4-for-4 effort at the plate.
With its five through nine hitters mired in a 0-for-34 slump entering the game, Illinois State was looking for any sort of offensive production that it could get from the bottom half of its order. The Redbirds got just what they wanted, as ISU's five through nine hitters went a combined 5-for-16 in the game to score four of the Redbirds' seven runs.
North Carolina State scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the first inning off a line drive single up the middle by Allison Presnell that drove in Shanna Smith as the Wolfpack went up, 1-0.
The Redbirds broke the game open in the top of the third inning with four runs on four hits. Senior right fielder Andrea Shifflet started the rally with a leadoff walk and then advanced to second base when sophomore Kara Nelson reached base on a bunt single. A single by Smith advanced both Redbird runners, and then Jessie Buker came to bat and singled in both Shifflet and Nelson, as ISU took the 2-1 lead. After designated player Abby Olson reached via a fielder's choice, Katie Mathis' double in the right field gap scored both Buker and Olson to give the Redbirds a 4-1 lead.
NC State threatened once again in the bottom of the fourth inning, as the Wolfpack loaded the bases off three walks from starting pitcher Amy Mitchell. The Redbirds appeared to get out of the jam early on after what appeared to be a play at the plate by Nelson who threw a Wolfpack runner out. The play was overturned, however, as the umpires ruled that it was a foul ball, which extended the inning for NC State. The Wolfpack took advantage of the unusual turn of events, as Mitchell walked-in NC State's second run of the game.
Illinois State dropped in three more runs in the top of the fourth inning after the Redbirds produced three hits, all of which were singles. With shortstop Kaprice Williams and Shifflet both on base, senior second baseman Tiffany Prager drove in two runs after her single was mishandled by the Wolfpack right fielder, which allowed Prager to move all the way to third base. She was then driven home with an RBI single by Smith, as ISU's lead reached five runs (7-2), tied for its biggest advantage of the season.
The Wolfpack picked up their final run in the bottom of the sixth inning after Kristine Beecholdt's sacrifice fly ball to right field drove in Lacy Holm, who had reached base earlier in the inning on a double.
Mitchell earned her second-career win in the circle for Illinois State, as the sophomore walk-on from Palatine, Ill., pitched a complete-game two-hitter and allowed just three runs to score. Mitchell's two-hitter marked the first time that an ISU pitcher has allowed just two hits in a game since Stacy Birk pitched a two-hitter against Indiana State March 28, 2007.
Illinois State will have to wait for the outcome of Saturday's Central Florida-Central Arkansas game, set to begin at approximately 6 p.m. CST, to see when and who it will play Sunday. Once the Central Florida Tournament's day-three schedule is finalized, GoRedbirds.com will provide an updated web story of Illinois State's Sunday opponent.
