March 21, 2014
Game One Box Score |
Game Two Box Score |
Fischer Postgame Interview 
CARBONDALE, Ill. - The Illinois State softball team (10-17, 2-0 MVC) opened up Missouri Valley Conference play with a doubleheader sweep of unanimous preseason favorite and 2013 tournament champion Northern Iowa (14-8, 2-2 MVC), Saturday afternoon at Southern Illinois' Charlotte West Stadium. ISU took game one, 4-3 in nine innings, before slugging its way to a 9-4 victory in game two.
A balanced and consistent offense led ISU to its first back-to-back wins of the season. Sara Bradley snapped out of a slump by going 5-for-7 with two home runs, five RBI, two doubles, four runs and a walk, including a career-high three hits in game two. Nichelle Harrison, who entered the day with one RBI on the season, drove in four runs and went 4-for-8. Regan Romshek tallied four hits as well, while Laura Canopy, Kara Repp and Kelsey Turczyn notched three knocks apiece.
Romshek also excelled in the circle, tossing a total of 12.0 innings while earning a win and a save. Taylor Baxter was solid in her game two start en route to her first win since opening day.
Game One - Illinois State 4, Northern Iowa 3 (9 inn.)
The Redbirds built a 3-0 lead and held a 3-1 advantage going into the seventh inning, but UNI forced extra inning. ISU took the lead again with a lone tally in the top of the ninth, however, that it would not relent.
ISU began the game's scoring with a pair of runs in the top of the second against UNI starter and three-time All-MVC First Team performer Jamie Fisher (LP, 8-5). With Kolby Hoffman on third and Turczyn on second with two outs, Bradley singled up the middle to plate two and put the Redbirds up 2-0.
Bradley hit a solo home run with two outs in the fourth inning, her third of the season, to make it a 3-0 ISU lead. UNI responded in the bottom half of the frame with two doubles and a single to score one and put runners on second and third with nobody out. Romshek (WP, 8-7) dug deep to escape the jam, retiring the next three batters to keep it a 3-1 game.
With nobody on base and two outs in the seventh, the Panthers scored twice to send the game to extras. With runners on second and third, Caitlin Wnek tripled to deep center field to clear the bases and even the contest at 3-3.
After a scoreless eighth inning, ISU regained the lead in the top of the ninth. Canopy led off the inning with a single, stole second, and advanced to third when the throw deflected off of her into center field. Harrison brought Canopy home with a sacrifice fly to left, putting the Redbirds back on top, 4-3.
Romshek retired the first two batters in the bottom of the ninth before surrendering a two-out single. With the winning run at the plate, Romshek induced a foul out to secure the victory. The sophomore tossed a career-high 9.0 innings in the contest, while striking out a season-high eight.
Game Two - Illinois State 9, Northern Iowa 4
ISU scored in every inning but one in game two, and matched a season-high with 12 hits.
The Redbirds built another 3-0 lead in their first three at bats. Canopy led off the game with an infield single and later scored on an error to make it 1-0. Two more runs came home in the third when Canopy scored on a wild pitch and Harrison crossed home after a sacrifice fly from Stephanie Gallant that gave the Redbirds a three-run lead.
Once again, the Panthers fought back. Six of the first seven batters in the bottom of the third reached base for UNI against Baxter (WP, 2-10), as the Panthers evened the game. With runners on first and second and nobody out, Baxter got out of the inning on a 5-3 double play turned by Bradley, which set the stage for the Redbirds' offense to take over.
ISU scored at least once in every inning for the rest of the game. Harrison plated two in the fourth with a single to right that put the Redbirds back on top, 5-3. Bradley hit her second home run of the day in the fifth, before Harrison tallied another RBI single in the sixth to make it 7-3. The Redbirds scored twice more in the seventh on a RBI double from Bradley and RBI triple from Repp to give them a 9-3 advantage
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Meanwhile, Romshek (SV, 1) took over for Baxter in the fifth. She allowed a solo home run in the seventh, but was perfect otherwise to earn her first save of the season.
The Redbirds will go for the sweep, Saturday at 11 a.m.
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