April 17, 2010
Final Stats
CARBONDALE, Ill. - In Saturday's first game, Megan Warner threw a no-hitter and led the Illinois State softball team to a doubleheader sweep over Southern Illinois Saturday afternoon at the Charlotte West Field in Carbondale, Ill. ISU won the first game by one run, 1-0, before topping SIU, 11-2, in the second game. The no-hitter was the first of Warner's collegiate career and it was the first time a Redbird pitcher has thrown a no-hitter since pitching coach Shannon Nicholson accomplished the feat against Wright State on March 12, 2005.
Illinois State had numerous big hits in Saturday's double header coming from several Redbird batters. In the first game, Abby Olson hit a double to drive in the game-winning run, while Elizabeth Kay hit a three-run shot in the second game. Also in the second game, Kara Nelson recorded back-to-back triples and drove in a run with each hit.
In the circle, Warner and Jordan Birch each grabbed wins Saturday. Warner improved her record to 10-6, while Birch struck out seven SIU batters in ISU's second game and moved her record to 12-6 on the season.
Game One Recap: Illinois State 1, Southern Illinois 0
The first contest between ISU (24-13, 12-2 MVC) and SIU (27-15, 12-3 MVC) was a pitcher's duel between Warner and Danielle Glosson. Warner struck out seven Saluki batters and recorded four assists, while Glosson retired 10 Redbird batters.
Nelson walked in the first and reached second on a sacrifice bunt by Jhavon Hamilton, but the junior second baseman was left stranded at second to end the inning.
In the fourth with one out, Kay reached first on a single to left field. Michelle Henderson stepped into the batter's box and hit a deep shot to left field. Henderson's hit appeared to be a home run until SIU's Mallory Duran made a leaping catch to rob the homer from the senior first baseman.
Hamilton singled with a slap hit over the shortstop and was driven in on a double to the left center field gap by Olson in the top of the sixth. Kay was walked by Glosson to put runners on first and second, but ISU would end the inning without scoring anymore runs.
Only one Saluki batter reached base on an error by Warner. The loss was the second shutout of the season for the Salukis.
Game Two Recap: Illinois State 11, Southern Illinois 2
Southern Illinois' Haley Gorman singled to right field to start things off for the Salukis in the second game. Gorman tried to steal second, but was thrown out by Brianna Lizen for the first SIU out. With two outs in the first, Alicia Garza hit single to right field. Garza attempted to steal second, but was thrown out by Lizen for the third out of the inning. Garza was a perfect 15-for-15 in stolen base attempts this season until Saturday's game. It was the first time since 2008 that Garza had been caught stealing.
The Redbirds' offense came to life in the third inning when ISU scored four runs on three hits and one Saluki error. Nelson started the two-out rally when she was walked and quickly stole second. Hamilton stepped into the batter's box and hit a single to the right side of the infield and scored Nelson from second. The Salukis walked Olson, which brought up Kay, who hit a three-run shot over the left field fence. The home run was the seventh of Kay's career.
Illinois State continued to push runs across in the fourth when Shelby Music scored on a wild pitch by Alex Peters.
ISU got back on the board again in the sixth when Nelson hit a triple to right center field and scored Lauren Kellar, who was standing on first after reaching on a Saluki error. Nelson crossed the plate on a wild pitch by Glosson increasing ISU's lead by seven runs.
Still in the sixth, Hamilton was walked and moved to second on a single by Olson. Illinois State loaded the bases after Glosson walked Henderson. Niki Stansell knocked a single to shallow right center field and pushed across Hamilton and Olson to lengthen the Redbirds' lead by nine.
After going scoreless for the first 12 innings of Saturday's doubleheader, SIU got on the board in the sixth when Katie Wilson hit a double off of the left field wall and drove in two Saluki runs.
In the seventh, Nelson hit a stand-up triple to the right center field wall and drove in Kellar, just as she did in the sixth. Olson hit a grounder down the third base line and drove Nelson in for the second run of the inning.
Southern Illinois would not score any runs in the seventh giving ISU the doubleheader sweep.
Illinois State will return to the field Sunday for the series finale against Southern Illinois. The game is slated to being at noon.
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