CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – A back and forth battle between in-state rivals Illinois State and Illinois ended with a walk off home run that gave Illinois a 5-4 victory. It's the second-straight week that a home run in the final inning has defeated the Redbirds in a nonconference matchup.
The game started the way it finished, as Allie Bauch led off the bottom of the first inning with a solo home run to give the Illini an early 1-0 lead on Redbird starter Sarah Finck.
In the top of the second the ISU offense threatened, putting runners at second and third with one out. However, the Redbirds were unable to score. One inning later, though, the offense put together a big inning, scoring four runs.
Lindsey Greene led off the inning with a single and Annie Heineman then reached base on a catcher's interference. Back-to-back walks by Regan Romshek and Jordan de los Reyes then opened the scoring as the walk to De los Reyes scored Greene. Stephanie Gallant followed with a two-run double that narrowly missed leaving the yard.
The double was Gallant's fifth of the season and she now has 22 RBIs on the year. With runners at third and second, Riley Strandgard then lifted a fly ball deep enough for De los Reyes to tag and score.
Meanwhile in the circle, Finck settled in a blanked the Illini in innings 2-4. However, U of I rallied in the bottom of the fifth. A fielder's choice, walk and an error allowed Illinois to plate two runs to pull within one. Ruby Rivera then singled in the tying run.
Illinois pitcher, Jade Vecvanags, cruised through the sixth and seventh innings, retiring all six batters she faced. ISU struck out just twice for the game and hit the ball hard several times. However, on multiple occasions hard liners went right to Illini fielders.
McKensie Vissering entered in the fifth inning to pitch for ISU and worked the Redbirds out of a jam. After allowing a leadoff single in the sixth, Vissering recorded the next three outs, getting the third out with the go-ahead run standing at third.
Vissering entered the circle for the bottom of the seventh and recorded the first two outs. However, Rivera struck again, this time launching a walk off home run over the left-centerfield fence to give Illinois a 5-4 win.
The Redbirds recorded four hits in the game and were led by Gallant. The senior finished 2-3 with two RBIs. Payton Billups and Greene recorded the other two hits. Heineman, Romshek, De los Reyes and Greene each scored a run for ISU.
Finck started and went 4 1/3 innings, giving up four hits and two earned runs while striking out two and walking three. Vissering then entered for the final 2 1/3 and gave up two hits and an earned run. She took the loss and drops to 1-7 on the season.
Illinois State is now 16-19 on the year and will resume Missouri Valley Conference play this weekend. The Redbirds host a three-game series against Southern Illinois Friday and Saturday. First pitch Friday is scheduled for 4 p.m. while Saturday's doubleheader contests will begin at 12 and 2:30 p.m.
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