March 2, 2008
Final Stats
COLUMBUS, Ga. -
A two-out, two-RBI double by freshman designated player Abby Olson in the top of the first inning was all the offense that the Redbirds needed, as the Illinois State softball team (10-10) defeated No. 23 North Carolina (15-6), 2-0, Sunday morning at the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga. The win was ISU's first over a ranked opponent this season and gave the Redbirds a 4-1 record at the Leadoff Classic, tied for their best mark ever at the tournament.
For the eighth time this season, and the second time at the Leadoff Classic, the Redbirds were held to three-hits-or-less in a game, as Olson's double and two singles by catcher Casey Gorrell were ISU's lone hits in the game.
Pitching for the second time in 12 hours, after recording her third win of the season Saturday night against Hofstra (5-2), Amber Smith (4-4) picked up her second win in as many days after she did not allow any UNC runs on just two hits, while she gave up five walks and struck out two. Junior Rachel Smith earned her first-career save after she came in to pitch in relief of Amber Smith in the bottom of the fifth inning.
"We got a good hit from Abby in the first inning and got a couple of runs," Illinois State head softball coach Melinda Fischer said. "Danielle Spaulding did a great job pitching against us. Rachel Smith did a good job coming in to pitch in relief for us. Amber didn't have quite as good stuff (Sunday) as she usually does, but she came out and did what she could to get the win.
"I'm very proud of our players for their performance this weekend. We had key performances from a lot of players. All of our players focused during the tournament and did what they needed to do to be successful."
Illinois State faced a formidable pitcher in UNC's Danielle Spaulding, who entered the game with a 5-0 record and 0.69 earned-run average (ERA) after she had allowed just three earned runs in 30.1 innings pitched this season. Despite giving up two runs early to the Redbirds, Spaulding dominated Illinois State throughout the game, as she recorded 16 strikeouts in the complete-game loss, which set a season high for strikeouts against the Redbirds this season.
Just as it did against No. 4/6 Tennessee Saturday, Illinois State jumped ahead early in the game, as Olson continued her hot-hitting at the tournament with a two-RBI double off Spaulding in the top of the first inning that just sneaked by the UNC first baseman and rolled to the fence to score both third baseman Kara Nelson and second baseman Tiffany Prager.
North Carolina made its first big offensive threat in the bottom of the fourth inning after the Tar Heels loaded the bases with two outs via walks, as Amber Smith gave up walks to Jennifer Jacobs and Spaulding, and then she put the final Tar Heel runner on base after the first base umpire called an illegal pitch against her. The right-hander from Fairfield, Calif., got out of the jam after she struck out Alyssa Francona, as North Carolina ended the inning with the bases loaded and Illinois State still leading, 2-0.
After going up 2-0 in the first inning, the Redbirds struggled throughout much of the game to find any kind of offensive momentum against Spaulding, as the sophomore left-hander recorded 10-straight outs against Illinois State until Gorrell picked up a leadoff single in the top of the fifth inning.
The Tar Heels looked to be in position to put a big inning in the bottom of the sixth inning after they placed Jennifer Jacobs and Emily Troup on first and second base, respectively, with no outs. A fly ball to deep right field by Spaulding looked to have advanced Jacobs to third, but she was called out at second for leaving the base early, which took all of the steam out of UNC's offensive rally.
With its pre-conference tournament season now finished, the Illinois State softball team will play one more non-conference series, a three-game set at Western Kentucky beginning Saturday, before it opens conference play at home Saturday, March 11 against Creighton. First pitch against Western Kentucky in Bowling Green, Ky., is scheduled for 1 p.m. CST Saturday.
