April 9, 2011
Box Score
NORMAL, Ill. - Jhavon Hamilton continued her hot hitting to lead Illinois State (23-13, 9-1 MVC) to a sweep of Northern Iowa (22-17, 6-5 MVC) in a doubleheader Saturday. The Redbirds slugged their way to a 7-4 win in the first game and used a walk-off hit to comeback in the second game, extending their winning streak to eight games.
Hamilton was 4-for-6 with two home runs, four RBI and three runs scored in the doubleheader. In the last eight games, Hamilton is 11-for-15 with seven multi-hit games. Lauren Kellar was 3-for-3 in the second game. Kara Nelson drove in the winning run with a double in the seventh inning of the second game.
Jordan Birch set a season-high with 11 strikeouts in the second game, scattering five hits and allowing just the two runs in the first inning for her 10th win of the season. Megan Warner earned the win in the first game, holding the Panthers to just one run in the final three innings. Northern Iowa left 17 runners on base over the two games.
The series concludes Sunday with a 12 p.m. game at Marian Kneer Stadium.
Game One Recap
Illinois State scored its seven runs in a three-inning span and UNI stranded 10 runners on base in the first game.
Northern Iowa threatened to score in each of the first two innings as a result of Redbird errors. A throwing error on the leadoff batter of the game followed by a single and a walk loaded the bases with one out. Warner worked out of the jam with two groundouts. A fielding error and a single up the middle put runners on first and third with two outs in the second, but a groundout to shortstop kept the Panthers from scoring again.
UNI threatened again in the third inning and was able to put the first runs across. After a leadoff single, Warner induced two groundouts and kept the runner at second base. A wild pitch advanced the runner to third and Whitney Plein drove the next pitch over the left field wall for a home run to put UNI ahead, 2-0.
Illinois State tied the game in the bottom half of the inning. Fisher struck out five of the first seven ISU batters, but dropped a groundball hit back to her by Nichelle Harrison, allowing her to be the first Redbird baserunner. Hamilton made Fisher pay for the error by hitting a drive just over the fence in the right field corner to tie the game at two.
UNI scored again in the fourth on a double down the left field line, but the Redbirds cut down a runner at the plate for the third out. It didn't take ISU long to comeback, as Kay hit the third pitch of the bottom half of the inning for a home run down the left field line. A single, hit by pitch, sacrifice bunt and a walk loaded the bases with Redbirds with just one out. Hamilton and Nelson both singled and Kellar hit a sacrifice fly to center field to drive in three runs and put the Redbirds back on top, 6-3.
Each team tacked on a run in the final three innings. Warner showed her fielding ability with four-straight putouts on groundballs right back to her.
Game Two Recap
Northern Iowa struck first again in the second game, scoring two runs on consecutive two-out singles. Birch walked both Panthers that came around to score. UNI starter Jaye Hutcheson struggled with her control in the third inning, giving up two runs. Hamilton led off the inning with a home run off the scoreboard in right center to cut the deficit in half. With two runners on and two outs, Lizzie Andrews singled up the middle to drive in the tying run. A walk loaded the bases, but a deep fly out to left field ended the inning without any further scoring.
A one-out double in the fifth inning gave UNI the next scoring opportunity. Warner worked out of it with her 10th strikeout and a hard line drive right at Nelson to keep the score tied. Kellar led off the bottom part of the inning with a single, but the Redbirds were unable to even advance her, going down in order after that.
UNI put a runner on in both the sixth and seventh innings, but couldn't score. In the seventh, ISU got a force out at second on a ground ball to third and the runner was called for interference for not getting out of the way on the turn, completing an inning-ending double play.
The Redbirds used that momentum as Hamilton singled to left field on a 1-2 pitch to lead off the bottom of the seventh and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Nelson drove the next pitch off the wall in left center, scoring Hamilton to complete the sweep.
