April 10, 2011
Box Score
NORMAL, Ill. -
Northern Iowa (23-17, 7-5 MVC) won a pitcher's duel to take the final game of a three-game series from Illinois State (23-12, 9-2 MVC) Sunday afternoon, 1-0, at Marian Kneer Stadium. Jordan Birch gave up just two hits, but one was a solo home run that provided all the scoring UNI needed.
Birch recorded five strikeouts and didn't walk a batter, but did hit two batters. Of the 97 pitches she threw, 73 were strikes and she threw first-pitch strikes to 20 of the 24 batters she faced. Aside from the home run, UNI had only one batter reach second base in the game.
Nichelle Harrison had two of the Redbird hits, with Kara Nelson and Jhavon Hamilton recording the others. Illinois State left six runners on base, including squandering a bases-loaded, one-out situation in the fifth inning, and recorded seven strikeouts.
Illinois State lost at Marian Kneer Stadium for the first time since an 8-0 defeat against Creighton May 1 last year. The loss also snapped ISU's eight-game winning streak.
Jamie Fisher picked up the win in her second start of the series, allowing four hits and striking out seven.
Just like the first two games of the series, UNI got on the scoreboard first when Eranne Daugharthy turned on a 1-2 pitch and drove it over the left field fence for a solo home run in the second inning. That home run was the lone hit Birch allowed in the first three innings, as she struck out three and threw first-pitch strikes to eight of the 10 batters faced. Fisher was just as efficient, allowing just two hits and a walk while striking out five through three innings.
Birch got some help from her defense in the fourth after hitting the leadoff batter with a pitch. Lizzie Andrews caught a hard line drive in left field and after Birch recorded her fourth strikeout, Lauren Kellar ran down a deep drive in right center right in front of the wall, saving an extra base hit that probably would have driven in the run.
Fisher hit Laura Canopy with a pitch with two outs in the fourth, snapping a string of six-straight batters retired. Sara Bradley then worked a full count and drove a ball deep to straightaway center, but it fell just short of clearing the fence for an easy catch by the centerfielder on the warning track.
ISU threatened to score in the fifth inning, putting the first two batters on base. Harrison laid down a beautiful bunt to start the inning, deadening the ball right in front of the catcher and beating out the throw. Hamilton followed with a deep drive to the left field corner that Hannah Borschel couldn't track down, but threw back in quickly to hold the runners to first and second. After a sacrifice bunt and a walk, the bases were loaded with one out for Abby Olson, but she hit a hard ground ball to second that UNI turned for a double play to end the inning.
That proved to be the best scoring chance for the Redbirds, as Fisher retired the final six batters in order. In the seventh inning, the first two Redbirds struck out looking and Hamilton hit a hard ground ball down the first base line, but Daugharty made a nice backhanded stop and stepped on the bag for the final out.
Illinois State heads to Chicago Tuesday to face DePaul at 4 p.m. in the final non-conference game of the season.
