NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State softball began Saturday just one game behind Missouri State in the Missouri Valley Conference standings. By the end of the day, MSU had extended its lead to three games with an 11-0 win in five innings and a 4-0 win in game two of a doubleheader at Marian Kneer Stadium in Normal, Illinois.
It was a complete effort by Missouri State (26-19, 14-5 MVC) as MSU made a statement in the series opener. The game started with little action as MSU starter Chelsea Jones and Illinois State starter Sarah Finck each posted zeroes through the first two innings of play.
Finck was perfect through the first two, retiring all six batters she faced. Conversely, Jones ran into a bit of trouble in the second inning, allowing three hits and working out of a first-and-third jam to end the frame.
In the third inning, MSU used a bit of everything to get on the board. The Bears used a hit, a hit by pitch, an error and two walks to score two unearned runs and take a 2-0 lead.
In the fourth, the floodgates opened against the ISU defense. After Finck walked the first batter she was relieved by McKensie Vissering. Vissering faced the next four batters, walking three and allowing a base hit. With four runs home and no outs, Finck came back to pitch.
Finck gave up three hits, walked a batter, hit a batter and a batter reached on an error before the first out was recorded. A double play was turned and then Finck induced a groundout to end the frame. In all, Missouri State scored eight runs with seven of them earned and led 10-0 at the end of the inning.
Jones settled down in the circle and retired ISU three-up-three-down in the final two innings and, after Missouri State added one more run in the fifth inning, the Bears won 11-2.
Finck took the loss to fall to 8-4 on the season. The Redbirds had five hits with five different players tallying one.
In game two, the pitchers ruled as Regan Romshek and Erin Struemph battled the entire way. Romshek allowed one run in the top of the first, but the two pitchers posted zeroes the rest of the way. Along the way, Romshek encountered little trouble until the later innings.
Struemph, meanwhile, lived up the statistics that defined her as a strikeout pitcher. She whiffed 10 batters, which was a new season-high and one short of her career-high.
In the top of the sixth, Missouri State threatened, loading the bases with one out. However, Romshek got the next two batters to fly out and got out of the jam unscathed.
It then looked like an ISU rally was in order in the bottom of the frame as the offense finally got to Struemph. With one out, Annie Heineman and Jordan de los Reyes both singled and later in the inning Stephanie Gallant walked to load the bases.
Struemph responded by inducing an infield pop up to end the inning. Along with her 10 strikeouts, Struemph got seven ISU batters to pop up on the infield.
In the top of the seventh, Romshek allowed a leadoff walk and later in the inning Jones hit a single. The next batter, Erin Duewel, hit a three-run homer that gave MSU a 4-0 lead, which would be the final score.
Heineman had two of ISU's three hits for the game and only two Redbird hitters reached base prior to the sixth inning.
ISU had not been shut out since a March 10 loss at the hands of No. 8 Tennessee and the Redbirds had been shutout in both games of a home doubleheader since 2003.
The two teams will finish the series Sunday at 11 a.m. at Marian Kneer Stadium. It's the annual Pack the Park games and the first 200 fans will receive a free water bottle while the first 100 students will receive a free pennant. Following the game, fans can meet the ISU players and get an autographed team poster.
A live audio and video broadcast will be available on GoRedbirds.com.
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