Feb. 20, 2010
Final Stats
TEMPE, Ariz. -
Michelle Henderson hit her third homer of the day in the top of the seventh to start a five-run rally for the Redbirds, who would go on to defeat No. 5/7 Arizona State, 10-9, after nine innings at the Littlewood Classic in Tempe, Ariz., Friday. The victory was the fourth-straight win for the Redbirds. ISU recorded 10 runs on 15 hits and did not commit an error in the game.
The last time Illinois State (4-2) beat Arizona State (6-2) was Feb. 15, 2007, when ISU shut out then-No. 8 ASU, 3-0.
Arizona State got on the board early as Katelyn Boyd hit a two-out homer in the first inning. The Sun Devils offense stayed strong into the second inning where ASU had two players cross the plate on three hits. Ashley Muenz and Annie Lockwood scored on a single by Christina Zambrana. ASU scored four runs on three hits in the bottom of the fourth increasing its lead by seven.
ISU got on the board in the top of the fifth with Henderson's first shot over the left field fence.
"I thought the team decided that they needed to get better at bats and it got contagious," said head coach Melinda Fischer. "We seemed to get hit after hit and anytime you can generate that kind of confidence at the plate, it can be rewarding. I thought they did a nice job at that tonight."
Illinois State would continue to chip away at Arizona State's lead in the sixth. Abby Olson singled up the middle to get the Redbird offense started in the top of the sixth. Elizabeth Kay reached first after hitting a grounder through the left side where Taylor Haro committed an error that allowed the second Redbird run to score.
Henderson hit her second homer of the game as the leadoff batter in the top of the seventh shrinking ASU's lead to four and starting a Redbird rally. Henderson's two homers in the game set a career best for the Normal, Ill., native.
"Michelle wanted to have a great senior season with quality at bats, and I think she has continued to do that," said Fischer. "We could move Michelle up in the batting order, but I like her in that position. She is able to step up in key situations for us, and she is able to put a bunt down too. I think she is having a great start to the season."
Still in the seventh, Shelby Music singled up the middle, while Kara Nelson and Nichelle Harrison recorded two outs before Jhavon Hamilton and Olson were walked. With the bases loaded and two outs, Elizabeth Kay hit a crucial double off of the center field wall scoring two Redbirds. Olson and Kay scored on an error by Zambrana.
With two outs, in the top of the seventh, Beth Current doubled up the middle, but Niki Stansell was tagged at the plate on Current's hit for the third out.
ISU and ASU were both scoreless in the eighth inning pushing the game into the ninth inning.
In the ninth, Nelson and Hamilton singled to get on base and were moved around with a sacrifice bunt by Olson. Kay hit her second-straight double to score Nelson and Hamilton and give the Redbirds the lead for the first time in the game. Stansell hit a pop fly to third base that was dropped and reached on an error for the second time in the game. Current singled and moved Stansell to third, but the Redbirds would leave Stansell and Current on base. ISU tallied three runs and four hits in the inning.
Arizona State answered back in the bottom of the ninth scoring two runs dwindling Illinois State's lead to one, but ASU's Lockwood got caught in a run down between third and home and was tagged out by Stansell as the final out of the game.
The Illinois State softball team will continue play at the Littlewood Classic Saturday against Rutgers (1 p.m. CST) and Iowa (3:30 p.m. CST).
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