Feb. 6, 2009
Final Stats
TAMPA, Fla. - Jordan Birch struck out seven in her collegiate debut but didn't receive any run support in a, 4-0, Illinois State loss to South Florida at USF Stadium Friday. Illinois State was limited to three hits as South Florida starter Christi Ecks fanned eight Redbird batters at the season-opening USF Louisville Slugger Tournament.
Birch kept the Redbirds (0-2) in the game with the defending Big East champion Bulls (2-0), scattering two runs over the first six innings. Birch allowed the first two batters to reach in the seventh before she was lifted for Amber Smith, and the runs later scored. The freshman from Monroe, Wash., gave up six hits and was charged with four runs.
Birch retired the side in order in the top of the first inning but ran into trouble by loading the bases in the second. Birch walked in a run with two outs, but a pop up by Janine Richardson ended the threat. USF pushed across another run in the bottom of the fifth to extend its lead to 2-0 and added two more in the seventh.
Niki Stansell, Smith, and Beth Current all collected base hits for Illinois State, but the Redbirds were unable to push across any runs. In all, the Redbirds stranded seven base runners. For the second-straight game, Illinois State played without Kara Nelson, who suffered a hand injury in practice Thursday.
Illinois State dropped a 10-2 decision to Florida Gulf Coast in the team's first game of the tournament on Friday afternoon. Illinois State returns to the field Saturday morning at 8 a.m. against UNC-Greensboro and tangle with Minnesota in the 10 a.m. game.
