April 14, 2008
Final Stats
EAST PEORIA, Ill. -
Junior pitcher Amber Smith was just six outs away from recording her first-ever no-hitter in the circle for the Redbirds, but in the end, it was not her pitching that was the story of the game, but her hitting, as she produced two home runs to lead Illinois State in a come-from-behind victory over Bradley, 5-3, in game one of the Redbirds-Braves two-game Missouri Valley Conference series Monday afternoon at the Eastside Centre in East Peoria, Ill. Smith's final home run of the game came with ISU down to its last out and trailing, 3-2, as the Redbirds improved to 17-15 overall, 7-4 MVC, while Bradley dropped to 11-18 overall, 3-10 MVC.
Smith's two-home run performance was part of a 2-for-3, two-runs-scored game for the Fairfield, Calif., native. She was Illinois State's lone run producer in the game, as she racked up a career-high five RBI. Senior second baseman Tiffany Prager also had a stellar game at the plate, as she went 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Prager's double into the right-center field gap in the top of the third inning was the 32nd in her three-plus-year Redbird softball career and moved her into a tie for seventh place on the ISU career doubles list.
After being taken out of the circle following Bradley's first run scored in the bottom of the sixth inning, Smith atoned for losing her no-hit bid by hitting her second home run of the game, a three-run shot deep over the center field fence with two outs in the top of the seventh inning. Smith's home run gave the Redbirds a 5-3 lead in the game after they were down, 3-2, heading into the final frame.
Pitching in relief of starter Amber Smith, junior transfer pitcher Rachel Smith (5-4) picked up the win for ISU after she pitched 1 2/3 innings and allowed just two Bradley hits, while walking none. Excluding the three runs that she allowed in the bottom of the sixth inning, Amber Smith was lights-out in the circle for Illinois State, as she did not allow a single Bradley hit until the sixth inning and just four Braves hitters reached base prior to the sixth inning.
Despite suffering her 11th loss of the season, Bradley starting pitcher Ashley Birdsong (8-11) was equally strong in the circle, as she recorded seven strikeouts through the first four innings, including a string of four-straight from the top of the first to the top of the third inning. The 2007 Missouri Valley Conference leader in strikeouts with 275 on the season, Birdsong added to her reputation as a dominant strikeout pitcher with 11 in the game.
After Prager singled into left field with one out, Amber Smith powered Illinois State to its first two runs of the game, as she took a Birdsong pitch deep over the right-center field fence for her third home run of the season. Smith's home run was her first since Feb. 29 versus Winthrop, a span of 41 at-bats.
Amber Smith's bid for a no-hitter was broken up by in with no outs in the bottom of the sixth inning on a single by Janay Mitchell. With Jess Boeger already on base via a walk, Mitchell singled through the hole between shortstop and third base for the Braves' first base hit of the game.
One batter later, Bradley broke its scoring drought with a single into center field by Miriam Wegman that scored Mitchell from second base and cut the ISU lead to 2-1. That run forced Amber Smith out of the game and gave way to Rachel Smith to pitch for Illinois State in relief. The Braves then tied the game on the ensuing play, as an RBI double by Alycia Bachkora over Jessie Buker's head in left field scored Wegman.
The Braves' finished the sixth inning by taking a 3-2 lead on an RBI single into left field by Lauren Meister.
Illinois State and Bradley will play game two of their abbreviated two-game Missouri Valley Conference series beginning at approximately 6:20 p.m. from the Eastside Centre in East Peoria, Ill.
