May 9, 2008
Final Stats | Postgame Quotes 
2008 MVC Tournament Photo Gallery
CARBONDALE, Ill. -
Junior pitcher/first baseman Amber Smith hit her Missouri Valley Conference record 40th-career home run, but in the end, four errors in the game, including three in the fifth inning, cost the Redbirds a shot at the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference championship game, as the second-seeded Illinois State softball team (28-20) suffered a 5-4 loss to No. 7-seed Missouri State (28-21) in the semifinals of the MVC Tournament Friday afternoon at Southern Illinois' Charlotte West Stadium in Carbondale, Ill.
The loss was the fourth-straight for ISU in State Farm MVC Tournament play, dating back to a 4-0 loss to the Bears in the 2006 conference tournament. Illinois State also fell to 13-13 all-time in conference tournament-opening games.
Smith's 40th-career home run highlighted a 2-for-2 batting performance for the Fairfield, Calif., native. She also recorded two walks in the game. Sophomore third baseman Kara Nelson was the only other Redbird to record multiple hits in the game, as she went 2-for-4 at the plate with two RBI and a run scored.
Amber Smith (14-9) started the game in the circle for ISU and suffered her ninth loss of the season after she lasted 4 1/3 innings and surrendered five runs (two earned) on five hits. Junior Rachel Smith, who came on to pitch in relief of Amber Smith with one out in the top of the fifth inning, pitched 2 2/3 innings and did not surrender any hits or runs to the Bears.
Missouri State's Melissa Porche (19-15), who earlier this season struck out a combined 25 Redbird batters in two wins over Illinois State (3-2 March 21 and 6-0 March 22), earned her 19th win in the circle this season for MSU and helped the Bears advance to their first MVC Tournament title game since 2006 after she pitched seven full innings and allowed four ISU runs on seven hits.
Missouri State jumped on the board early, as the Bears plated two runs in the top of the first inning. After MSU leadoff batter Jenna Schwark reached second base on a long fly ball to the left-center field gap that was misplayed by Illinois State left fielder Jessie Buker, Amber Smith gave up two-straight walks to the Bears, to load the bases with just one out. That brought Michelle Armentrout to the plate, who roped a two-run double into right-center field to score two for MSU and put the Redbirds down, 2-0, early on.
Illinois State threatened to earn the two runs back in its half of the first inning, as the Redbirds loaded the bases with just one out. The threat started with a one-out double into the left-center field gap by Amber Smith. Buker then popped up a ball that dropped between Porche and the MSU first baseman, which put two ISU runners on base. A walk to first baseman Michelle Henderson then loaded the bases for Illinois State. The Redbirds were unable to capitalize on the prime scoring opportunity, however, as a line out and a groundout ended the inning and left Illinois State trailing, 2-0.
The Redbirds had another scoring opportunity in the bottom of the third inning, after they placed runners on first and third base with just one out in the inning. Two-straight strikeouts by the Redbirds ended the threat and kept the score at 2-0, Missouri State, after three full innings.
The Bears added an additional run in the top of the fourth inning on a strange play at home plate. A two-out double by Porche started the rally, and then Ashley Knehans singled into center field to set up an interesting set of events, as Redbird center fielder Katie Mathis threw home to ISU catcher Casey Gorrell. Porche rounded third base, and with the throw from Mathis up the third-base line, Gorrell was ruled to have illegally blocked home plate (obstruction), as Porche was unable to reach the plate, and the home-plate umpire gave MSU the run.
Three ISU errors in the top of the fifth inning allowed MSU to increase its lead to 5-0. After Elysha Swider led off the frame with a walk, a fielding error by Redbird shortstop Kaprice Williams on a ball hit back to her by Tyler Porter led to two MSU runs, as Williams booted the ball, which rolled to Mathis in center field. Mathis then threw home to try to nail the lead MSU runner, who was safe on the play. Gorrell then attempted to throw out Porter at second base after she attempted to advance on the play. Gorrell's throw went wide of second base and rolled to the center-field wall, which allowed Porter to score and put MSU up, 5-0.
After being relieved of her pitching duties in the top of the fifth inning, Smith redeemed herself in the bottom of the fifth with her 40th-career home run, which set the Missouri Valley Conference career home run record. Smith's 40th-career homer came in her 159th career game, which is 56 fewer games than former Southern Illinois slugger Katie Jordan needed to set the previous record of 39 career home runs.
The Redbirds rallied for three runs in the bottom of the seventh, and even put the game-winning run at the plate with one out. Mathis led off the inning with a single into right field. A double by senior second baseman Tiffany Prager pushed Mathis to third, and then a triple by Nelson scored both Mathis and Prager and cut the Missouri State lead to 5-3. One batter later, a groundout to shortstop by Buker scored Nelson and put the winning run at the plate for Illinois State. The game ended two batters later, however, as Rachel Smith struck out.
Illinois State will now await word of whether it will earn its third-straight at-large berth into the NCAA Tournament. The NCAA Division I Softball Selection Show will air live at 9 p.m. Sunday on ESPNU, with an abbreviated rebroadcast set to air at 10:30 p.m. Sunday on ESPNEWS.
