NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State and Missouri State played four innings in their series finale before the rains came and cancelled the game. ISU was leading 4-3 after four innings, but the game will not count because the teams did not get through five innings.
ISU struck first in the second inning, scoring two runs off MSU starter Chelsea Jones. Kara Repp reached on a fielder's choice and later came into score on a Kelsey Turczyn double down the leftfield line. Turczyn later came into score on a Lindsey Greene fielder's choice.
In the top of the third the Bears responded with two runs of their own. Rebecca McPherson led off with a double and Jones scored her with a double of her own. ISU starter Regan Romshek then loaded the bases and walked Kaitlin Beason, which drove in MSU's second run.
In the top of the fourth, Missouri State added one more run when Jones hit an RBI single that scored Erika Velasquez-Zimmer.
The lead did not last long as ISU answered in the bottom of the frame. MSU reliever Erin Struemph was nearly unhittable Saturday and, after entering as a reliever in the second, was cruising right along. She struck out the first two batters to start the fourth, but then walked both Annie Heineman and Romshek.
Jordan de los Reyes then stepped to the plate. She had struck out swinging against Struemph earlier in the game with the bases loaded, but this time she won the battle. De los Reyes sent a line drive double into the left-centerfield gap, scoring two runs and putting ISU up 4-3.
The Redbirds needed just three outs to make the game official, but the rain proved to be too much and the game was called. There will be no makeup game this season.
"Yesterday we didn't score a run," said head coach Melinda Fischer. "Obviously that was a major concern so we really wanted to get on the board first today. We were just going to keep going at them and finally Jordan had that convincing hit."
Romshek pitched three innings, scattering eight hits and giving up three runs. However, she was able to work out of several jams. Twice she got out of a bases loaded jam and another inning she left runners at second and third.
"I think as we continue through the rest of the Valley season it is a necessity for our pitchers to be able to work out of jams," said Fischer. "It's key things in key situations because everybody knows everybody at this point."
ISU will be in action Wednesday at Bradley. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.
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