Feb. 27, 2011
Box Score
TAMPA, Fla. -
TAMPA, Fla. - The Illinois State softball team split a pair of games with South Florida and Temple Saturday evening in Tampa, Fla., on day two of the USF Fairfield Inn and Suites Tampa North Tournament. The Bulls (7-6) used a walk-off single to best the Redbirds (8-5) in the opener, before ISU got back on track and stopped a three-game losing streak with a 6-1 win over Temple (2-2).
In the opener, Illinois State managed to tally seven hits, but stranded nine baserunners, with seven of them being in scoring position. In the opposing dugout, USF used timely hitting, including a pair of solo home runs from Stephanie Medina and Janine Richardson's walk-off single to earn the 3-2 win.
The Redbirds looked to have something going in the top of the first after senior Kara Nelson led things off with an infield single and fellow senior Abby Olson drew a one-out walk to put a pair of runners on with only one out. Nelson and Olson advanced to second and third on a wild pitch, but would be stranded after a ground out to end the ISU half of the frame.
Illinois State would threaten again in fourth after redshirt freshman Sara Bradley coaxed a two-out walk and fellow redshirt freshman Nichelle Harrison and sophomore Jhavon Hamilton followed with back-to-back singles to load the bases. However, Nelson would strike out swinging to end the inning and leave three Redbirds on the base paths.
Medina notched her second solo homer of the contest to give the Bulls a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth and it would remain that way until the top of the seventh. The Redbirds were down to their last out before Olson reached on an infield single and sophomore Elizabeth Kay followed with a two-run shot to left center, her second of the season, to knot the score at 2-2.
South Florida's Erin Bly reached second on a Redbird error to lead off the USF seventh and would advance to third on a Gina Kafalas single. Bly would be cut down at the plate on a ground ball to Bradley, but the next hitter, Richardson, would deliver the game-winning single that landed just fair down the left field line.
Junior Jordan Birch suffered her first loss of the season, allowing three runs on eight hits and striking out seven.
In the nightcap that started on Saturday night and ended early Sunday morning, Illinois State would pound out 14 hits after six players notched multi-hit performances in the 6-1 win over Temple. Freshman Laura Canopy led the ISU offense with three RBI, going 2-for-3 at the plate with a two-run home run. Nelson finished 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored, Olson was a perfect 2-fo-2 with a walk and a run scored and Hamilton finished 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored.
The Owls manufactured a run in the bottom of the second to take an early 1-0 lead. Rachel Knable reached on a two-out walk, advanced to third on a two-base error and would score on a wild pitch by ISU starter Megan Warner.
The Redbirds struck back in the top of the third, scoring a pair of runs on three hits. Hamilton and Nelson led off the inning with back-to-back bunt singles and sophomore Lauren Kellar cleared the bases with a two-run triple to deep right center to put ISU on top, 2-1.
Canopy notched her first collegiate home run in the fifth to extend the Illinois State advantage to 4-1. Olson led off the inning with a single back up the middle and advanced to second on a wild pitch before Canopy's one-out blast to right.
The Redbirds tacked on insurance runs in the sixth and seventh to make the final margin 6-1 and give Warner her fourth win of the season inside the circle. The junior pitcher allowed only one hit in the victory and struck out eight, including five of the first six Temple hitters.
The split moves Illinois State to 8-5 on the season and the Redbirds will return to action Sunday at 9:30 CST when they face Central Connecticut State for the first time in school history to wrap up the weekend in Tampa, Fla.
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