April 6, 2008
Final Stats
NORMAL, Ill. -
Senior second baseman Tiffany Prager recorded a career-high four hits and scored a career-high tying three runs, as the Illinois State softball team (16-14, 6-4 MVC) picked up the series sweep over Evansville (18-12, 4-5 MVC) with a 6-2 victory in Sunday's series finale at the Redbird Softball Complex. The win marked the fifth straight for Illinois State and its second Missouri Valley Conference series win of the season.
Prager's career day at the plate included her 31st-career double, which moved the Bloomington, Ill., native into sole possession of ninth place on the Illinois State career doubles list. Illinois State's No. 1 and No. 2 hitters in its lineup, third baseman Kara Nelson and Prager, combined to go 6-for-8 in the game with five runs scored and one RBI.
"We were able to come back after being down by two runs (2-0) in the first inning, which showed that we competed throughout the game," said Illinois State head coach Melinda Fischer. "We were really strong with our bats and we competed well (Sunday). Tiffany (Prager) made some great adjustments (at the plate), stayed with the outside pitch and saw some great results because of that."
For the second-straight game, junior Amber Smith (7-6) was strong in the circle for ISU, as she earned the complete-game win after she gave up just two Evansville runs on five hits. Smith's one walk allowed in the game set a career-low for walks allowed in a complete game by the right-hander from Fairfield, Calif.
Both teams suffered several fielding miscues early in the game, as Illinois State committed two errors in the top of the first inning and a total of four through the first four innings of the game. Evansville, which claimed the nation's seventh-best fielding percentage (.976) entering this weekend's series, was equally errant in the field, as the Purple Aces committed their third error of the series in the bottom of the first and were charged with three errors total through the first four innings.
The Redbird defense faltered early in the top of the first inning, as the Purple Aces loaded the bases with the first three batters of the game after shortstop Kaprice Williams made her second error in as many games on the first play of the game, and then the next two Evansville batters reached via a walk and a fielder's choice.
That set up an interesting set of events, as a single into right field by Jacki Bradley was misplayed by Illinois State right fielder Andrea Shifflet, which allowed two Evansville runners to score to put the Purple Aces up, 2-0. The play continued to develop, however, as the trailing Evansville runner, who was on first base when the play started, was caught in a rundown between second and third base, and then Bradley was hung out to dry trying to take second base on the rundown.
Illinois State answered with two runs of its own in its half of the first inning. Nelson reached base via a double into the left-center field gap, and then Prager lined an RBI single into center field to score Nelson, as the Redbirds cut the Purple Aces' lead in half, 2-1. Two batters later, a dribbler by catcher Casey Gorrell back to the Evansville second baseman was overthrown, which allowed Prager to score and tied the game at 2-2.
The Purple Aces threatened again in the top of the second inning after they loaded the bases with three-straight two-out singles. Smith settled down and induced a popup to second base by Kristen Shirk to end the inning, as the score remained tied, 2-2.
Illinois State forced Evansville starting pitcher Jennifer McKee out of the game with one out in the bottom of the second inning after the Redbirds loaded the bases on a fielding error by the Purple Aces' shortstop and two-straight singles. The Redbirds took advantage of another Evansville fielding error to score three more runs in the game, as a groundball back to the Purple Aces' third baseman off the bat of Amber Smith was mishandled by the UE first baseman, which allowed Kara Nelson to score from second base. Two batters later, left fielder Jessie Buker drove in both Prager, who was on base via a single, and Smith with a double into left field, as Illinois State went up, 5-2.
The Redbirds added to their lead in the bottom of the sixth inning after a double by Prager gave way to an RBI single off the bat of Smith, as Illinois State took a four-run lead (6-2).
Illinois State will return to action Wednesday when it travels to Iowa City, Iowa, for a midweek non-conference game against Iowa. First pitch from Pearl Field in Iowa City, Iowa, is slated for 4 p.m.
