March 25, 2009
Box Score
NORMAL, Ill. -
Senior Amber Smith helped the struggling Redbird softball team snap its season-long five-game losing streak Tuesday against No. 24 Iowa in both the pitcher's circle and at the plate, as Illinois State (14-14) recorded a 2-1 victory over nationally-ranked Iowa at Marian Kneer Softball Stadium. The win was the Redbirds' first over a ranked opponent since March 2, 2008, when Illinois State defeated then-No. 23 North Carolina, 2-0.
With the game tied, 1-1, in the bottom of the sixth inning, Smith delivered a one-out single into left field that plated Niki Stansell from second base and gave the Redbirds their eventual 2-1 victory over longtime rival Iowa, which entered the game with a nine-game winning streak, one of the longest in NCAA Division I softball.
Smith was equally impressive in the circle, where she improved to 5-7 on the season after throwing seven full innings. The senior right-hander surrendered six hits while striking out two and walking one.
Stansell led all Illinois State batters with a 2-for-3 day at the plate and one run scored. Sophomore Abby Olson drove in ISU's first run of the game with a home run in the bottom of the second and finished 1-for-2.
Olson, who has been one of Illinois State's most consistent run producers all season, delivered again for the Redbirds in the bottom of the second, as she roped a one-out solo home run over the right-field fence for her fifth long ball of the season to give the Redbirds an early 1-0 lead.
Smith shut Iowa down early in the game with a mixture of hard rise balls and perfectly-placed off-speed pitches. The Hawkeyes had particular trouble against Smith's changeup, as she induced several groundouts with Iowa batters swinging out in front of the pitch.
Following ISU's single run in the bottom of the second, Iowa starter Amanda Zust settled down and recorded outs on five of the next seven batters she faced. Zust was pulled in the bottom of the fourth inning for the Hawkeyes' other starting pitcher, Brittany Weil, as Iowa head coach Gayle Blevins looked to give her two primary starting pitchers some more innings before the Hawkeyes begin Big Ten play this weekend at Ohio state.
Weil (13-5) took the loss for Iowa after she entered the game with the score tied, 1-1, and then gave up the winning run to Illinois State in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Iowa mounted its first - and only - rally in the top of the sixth when it placed a runner at third base with two outs following a leadoff single into center field, a sacrifice bunt and a ground ball back to second base. Colleen McGlaughin made the most of the opportunity, as she lined a pitch into left field to tie the game at 1-1. McGlaughin's RBI was her team-leading 30th of the season.
Illinois State will resume Missouri Valley Conference play this weekend when it plays host to No. 25 Southern Illinois for a three-game conference series. First pitch of Saturday's doubleheader from Marian Kneer Softball Stadium is slated for noon.
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