Feb. 13, 2010
Final Stats
CLEARWATER, Fla. -
Beth Current tripled twice and scored two runs for the Redbirds, but her performance at the plate was not enough as the Illinois State softball team fell to Long Island in the 2010 season opener, 11-4, at the USF Wilson-DeMarini Tournament in Clearwater, Fla. ISU recorded eight hits in the first game of the day, which was played at the Eddie C. Moore Complex.
In the first inning, ISU retired the first three batters for LIU. In the bottom of the first, ISU recorded two hits as Niki Stansell singled to left field followed by a single up the middle by Abby Olson. Elizabeth Kay made it to first base on a fielder's choice by Long Island to get Stansell out at third. However, ISU would not score any runs and leave two on base to end the inning.
Illinois State ran into trouble in the second inning as pitchers Chrissy Burton and Megan Warner faced 12 Long Island batters in the inning. The Blackbirds scored six of its 11 runs on two Redbird errors. The fourth through ninth batters for Long Island all crossed the plate in the second inning.
ISU would get on the board in the bottom of the second inning after Current hit her first triple and scored on an error by Long Island's Amanda MacIntosh to cut the lead to 6-1.
In the third, LIU's Bianca Mejia hit a double that drove in Karina Cervantes, but ISU would answer back in the bottom of the inning when Stansell hit a double and scored the Redbirds second run of the game on an error by MacIntosh.
Current's second triple came in the fourth inning, and she scored on a double by Michelle Henderson. Stansell's second run of the game came in the fifth inning decreasing the Blackbirds lead to three runs before Long Island's Sterling Hoham drove in another run for Long Island making the score 8-4.
Mejia would hit a three-run homer in the top of the seventh to make the final score 11-4.
ISU will play its second game of the day against host South Florida (2 p.m. CST) Saturday afternoon.
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