Redbirds Fall Twice to WSU

NORMAL, Ill. - The Illinois State softball team (25-26, 17-7 MVC) entered Saturday's doubleheader against Wichita State (33-20, 20-6 MVC) with a chance to claim the Missouri Valley Conference title, but it was the Shockers who took both games to earn the crown. The Redbirds surrendered five runs in the seventh inning to lose game one, 7-3, before dropping game two, 12-3, at Marian Kneer Stadium.

The two defeats snapped ISU's season-high nine-game winning streak. With the losses, the Redbirds are now locked in to the two seed for next weekend's MVC Tournament at Marian Kneer Stadium, and will open play in the semifinals, Friday.

Home runs accounted for five of ISU's six runs on the day. Jordan de los Reyes and Stephanie Gallant both hit two-run blasts, while Brittny Drish slugged a solo shot. De los Reyes and Drish each tallied three hits apiece, while Laura Canopy reached base five times on two hits and three walks.

The Redbirds utilized Regan Romshek, Taylor Baxter and McKensie Vissering in the circle against the high-powered WSU offense. Romshek threw a complete game in game one, but suffered her first loss since April 16. Baxter surrendered a career-high 12 runs in 6.2 innings in game two for her first loss since March 19. Vissering saw her first action since March 29, and tossed 0.1 scoreless innings.

Game One: Wichita State 7, Illinois State 3

The Redbirds put themselves in position to take the series-opener, but could not hold on for the win.

After two scoreless innings, the Shockers got on the board first with a two-out solo homer by Paige Luellen to straight-away center field. It didn't take long for the Redbirds to answer, however, as Drish hit a solo shot over the left field wall, tying the game, 1-1, in ISU's half of the inning.

ISU kept the long ball going in the bottom of the fourth, as de los Reyes hit a home run over the center field wall and scored Romshek, who reached first with a single up the middle. De los Reyes' homer off Kaitlyn Malone (WP, 16-6), gave Illinois State a 3-1 lead through four innings.

The Redbirds looked primed to put the game away in the fifth inning, as they loaded the bases with two outs and de los Reyes coming to the plate. The freshman could not capitalize, however, setting the stage for the Shockers' comeback.

In the top of the sixth, Wichita State got its bats going again and collected three hits, including another home run over the center field wall by Brittany Fortner, cutting the Redbird lead to one, 3-2. Romshek (LP, 17-15) was able to work out of the inning, stranding two Shocker runners on base.

The Shockers completed the rally with five runs in the seventh. After a single and error to start the inning, MVC home run leader Cacy Williams crushed a three-run blast to right that gave WSU a 5-3 lead. The Shockers tacked on two more runs later in the frame, before Malone set down ISU 1-2-3 in the bottom half to earn the game one win.

Game Two: Wichita State 12, Illinois State 3

The Shockers carried the momentum from game one's late surge by seizing control of game two early and not letting go.

WSU's offense came back to life in the top of the second, as they scored five runs in an inning again. The Shockers sent 10 batters to the plate and took a 5-0 lead on six hits. The Redbirds threatened in the bottom of the second, as they loaded the bases twice, but WSU worked out of the jams to maintain its 5-0 advantage.

ISU loaded the bases yet again in the bottom of the third, but still wasn't able to push across any runs, leaving eight base runners stranded through the first three innings.

Illinois State finally got on the board against WSU starter Jenni Brooks (WP, 5-2) in the bottom of the fifth, after Gallant hit a two-run homer over right field wall, to get the Redbirds within three runs, 5-2. Then, Drish welcomed Malone (SV, 4) out of the bullpen with a double to right center, before Molly Cull was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. Hoffman singled to right field to load the bases yet again for the Redbirds still in the fifth. With one out, Canopy grounded out to first base, but drove in Drish for ISU's third run of the inning, making it a 5-3 game.

The Shockers would dominate the rest of the way, however, by scoring the game's final seven runs. Williams took Baxter (LP, 8-11) deep with a two-run blast in the sixth to make it 7-3. WSU didn't let up in the seventh inning, as they posted their third five-run frame of the day. The Shockers utilized five hits in the frame, including a three-run homer by Kelli Spring, to put the contest out of reach and earn its first-ever regular-season title.

The series will conclude with the regular-season finale, Sunday at noon. ISU's five seniors - Taylor Baxter, Sara Bradley, Laura Canopy,Nichelle Harrison and Kolby Hoffman - will be recognized following the game.

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