March 21, 2008
Box Score
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -
Despite junior catcher Casey Gorrell's second home run of the season, a two-run shot in the top of the second inning, the Illinois State softball team lost its Missouri Valley Conference-opening game to Missouri State Friday afternoon, 3-2, at the Missouri State Softball Field. The game marked the first loss for ISU in its Valley-opening game since 2004.
Along with Gorrell's two-run home run, shortstop Kara Nelson went 2-for-4 at the plate with two sharply-hit singles, as ISU produced just five hits against Missouri State starting pitcher Melissa Porche.
Pitching for the first time since she shut out then-No. 23 North Carolina March 2, junior Amber Smith (4-5) looked solid through the first four innings, as she allowed just one run through those frames. Smith was unable to maintain her control through the remainder of the game, as she recorded her fifth loss of the season after she gave up two more earned runs in the game, to go along with 10 hits allowed and five strikeouts.
Missouri State was able to control much of the game in two-out hitting situations, as the Bears placed runners on first and second base with two outs in three-straight innings. Each time, though, Smith settled down and induced an MSU out to end a potential scoring threat.
The Valley's third-ranked pitcher in strikeouts with 83 on the season entering the game, Porche pitched seven solid innings to record her seventh victory of the season, as she struck out 14 Redbirds, which marked the fourth time this season that ISU has struck out at least 10 times in a game.
Seeing their first at-bats in nearly three weeks, the Redbirds quickly put two runners on base in the top of the first inning before Porche, the defending Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week, shut down the middle half of ISU's lineup, as she recorded consecutive strikeouts against Jessie Buker and Abby Olson to end the inning.
The Redbirds wasted no time getting their bats swinging again in the top of the second inning, as they scored two runs on one big hit. First baseman Michelle Henderson started the inning by being hit by a pitch, and then Gorrell came to the plate and took a Porche pitche just over the right-center field fence, aided by a wind that was blowing from left-to-right, and recorded her second home run of the season to give ISU a 2-0 lead.
Missouri State battled back in its half of the second inning, as Jenna Shewmaker roped a two-out RBI single down the right field line that scored Elysha Swider from second base. Despite walking the next MSU batter to place runners on first and second, Smith got out of the inning without giving up another run to preserve a 2-1 Redbird lead.
After flirting with tying the game for the last three innings, Missouri State knotted the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the fifth inning after a line drive by pinch hitter Ashley Knehans appeared to be caught by a sliding Katie Mathis in center field. The second base umpire ruled that Mathis dropped the ball, which allowed pinch runner Carrie Roberson to score from third base.
One inning later, the Bears took the lead after a weak, two-out groundball by Tyler Porter was bobbled by Henderson at first base, which allowed Jenna Schwark to score from third base.
The Redbirds and Bears will immediately return to action for game two of Friday's doubleheader. Complete postgame coverage of the game, including final statistics, postgame notes and a game two recap, will be available on GoRedbirds.com approximately 30 minutes after the final pitch.
