May 10, 2008
2008 MVC Tournament Photo Gallery
ST. LOUIS -
Following second-seeded Illinois State's 5-4 loss to No. 7-seed Missouri State Friday afternoon in the semifinals of the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament in Carbondale, Ill., junior pitcher/first baseman Amber Smith and sophomore third baseman Kara Nelson were both selected to the 2008 State Farm MVC All-Tournament Team, the conference office announced Saturday. The honors were the first in the careers of both Smith and Nelson, both of whom were also named first-team All-Missouri Valley Conference selections Wednesday.
Despite the loss, Smith had an historic game for ISU against the Bears, as her solo home run in the bottom of the fifth inning was the 40th of her three-year Redbird softball career and set the Missouri Valley Conference career home run record. Smith's historic shot came in her 159th-career game played, which is 56 fewer games than it took former Southern Illinois slugger Katie Jordan (2002-05) to set the then-record of 39 career home runs.
Smith added a double in the game to go 2-for-2 at the plate with two walks. The Fairfield, Calif., native also started the game in the circle for Illinois State, where she pitched 4 1/3 innings and allowed five runs (two earned) on five hits in earning her ninth loss of the season.
Nelson, the former MVC Player of the Year, went 2-for-4 at the plate in ISU's 5-4 loss to Missouri State, which included a clutch two-run triple in the bottom of the seventh inning that keyed ISU's three-run rally that fell just short of tying the game for the Redbirds. Nelson's triple was the 11th of her two-year Redbird softball career, which moved her into a tie for seventh place all-time at Illinois State in career triples.
Illinois State head coach Melinda Fischer praised the offensive performances of two of her best hitters.
"Amber had a strong day at the plate for us," said Fischer. "Her record-breaking home run was a great accomplishment, and she also had a double for us that nearly started a rally (in the first inning).
"Kara had good at-bats throughout the game, and then her two-run triple in the seventh inning was a huge offensive boost."
The selection to the State Farm MVC All-Tournament Team for Smith and Nelson marked the fifth-straight year that ISU has had at least two players selected as all-tournament performers. Illinois State has had 31 MVC All-Tournament honorees in program history, which ranks second all-time in The Valley.
