April 5, 2011
Box Score
NORMAL, Ill. -
A pair of homers from Liz Andrews and Lauren Kellar gave the Illinois State softball team a 3-2 win over Missouri Valley Conference rival Bradley Tuesday night at Marian Kneer Stadium in Normal, Ill. The Redbirds improved to 20-11 overall and 7-1 in the Valley, while the Braves dropped to 8-27 overall and 1-7 in MVC play. The victory marked the fifth-straight win for ISU, which is its longest-winning streak of the season.
Helping Andrews and Kellar in batter's box was Kara Nelson and Abby Olson. Nelson scored one run and had a hit, while Olson recorded a RBI on a double to left center field.
Bradley jumped ahead in the first inning, as Julie Sherman reached second on a Redbird throwing error and moved over to third on a wild pitch from starter Megan Warner. Sherman scored on a fielder's choice by Brittany Fairbairn to give the Braves an early, 1-0 lead. ISU left two runners on base to end the inning.
In the bottom of the second, Andrews hit a solo shot over the left field wall to tie the game, 1-1. The Redbirds took the lead in the bottom of the third, as Olson hit a standup double that scored Nelson from second to grab a 2-1 advantage. ISU was not able to push anymore runs across, as Illinois State left the bases loaded in the bottom of the frame.
Bradley tied the game at 2-2 in the top of the fourth on a RBI hit by Sherman, which drove in Denise Jilka. Bradley threatened two other times in the inning, but two perfectly executed plays at the plate by the Redbirds allowed only one Brave to score.
Kellar went deep over the left field wall to give Illinois State a one-run lead, 3-2, in the bottom of the fifth. The Braves were not able to score in the sixth or the seventh to give the Redbirds the victory.
Warner improved to 8-5 on the season with the complete-game win. The junior hurler allowed two unearned runs on four hits and issued two walks without striking out a batter.
The Redbirds will travel to Urbana, Ill., to take on in-state rival Illinois Wednesday evening. The game is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. ISU defeated the Fighting Illini, 10-7, earlier in the season at the Missouri DeMarini Invitational in Columbia, Mo.
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