Feb. 13, 2010
Final Stats
CLEARWATER, Fla. -
Pitcher Jordan Birch struck out seven and allowed only four hits after facing 35 batters Saturday afternoon, but her performance fell short when the Illinois State softball team fell to South Florida, 4-3, in a 10-inning game at the USF Wilson-DeMarini Tournament in Clearwater, Fla. Illinois State recorded six hits in the extra inning game.
The Redbirds (0-2) and the Bulls (1-0) were scoreless going into the bottom of the seventh inning where USF would have one more chance to win the game, but Birch retired the first two batters before getting Kendall Arnold to hit a fly out to center field where Beth Current made the play and ended the inning.
"I thought we were a totally different team during the second game," said head coach Melinda Fischer. "I believe a majority of that was due to Jordan's pitching performance. I think any time a pitcher throws a game like that and keeps you close in the ball game a lot of things start to fall your way, and the defense can begin to improve and show in plays as well."
At the top of the eighth and the beginning of the extra innings, the international tie-breaker rule was put into effect. Jhavon Hamilton laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Nichelle Harrison over to third base. Kara Nelson, who led the Redbirds with two hits in the game, hit a sacrifice fly to center field and drove in Harrison to give the Redbirds a one run advantage. USF's Janine Richardson hit a fly ball to deep center field and drove in a run to tie the game.
With one out in the ninth, Elizabeth Kay doubled to left center and drove in Niki Stansell to put the Redbirds back on top. A fielder's choice by South Florida forced Current out at second leaving two Illinois State runners stranded to end the inning.
In the bottom of the ninth, USF would quickly get runners on second and third allowing Alison Savarese to hit a sacrifice fly that brought Richardson across the plate to tie the game again.
At the top of the 10th, Carly Billings moved Emma Clark to third with a sacrifice bunt. Hamilton was walked to put runners at first and third. Nelson lined out to left field, but back-to-back USF errors would allow Clark to score grabbing the lead for the Redbirds.
USF's Cat Olnick was unable to successfully lay down a bunt and recorded the first out of the inning for the Bulls. USF would try another sacrifice play and advanced the runner to third. With only one out left to win the game, the momentum seemed to turn for the Redbirds, but when two Redbird outfielders collided and dropped a fly ball, USF scored to tie the game. With a runner on third a wild pitch allowed Alexis Nowell crossed the plate to win the game for South Florida.
"On the offensive side, we had more hits than our opponents," said Fischer. "Tomorrow we have to work on effective hitting and getting back-to-back hits. We also have to work on being aggressive at the plate, but I hope they come out tomorrow and work as hard as they did today."
Illinois State returns to the field Sunday to take on Canisius (8 a.m. CST) and Florida Gulf Coast (10 a.m. CST).
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