PEORIA, Ill. – After winning the first two games of the series a week ago, Illinois State softball fell to Bradley 8-7 Wednesday in Peoria, Illinois. The Braves used a walkoff single in the bottom of the seventh to defeat ISU and avoid a series sweep.
With the wind blowing out, it was a good bet before the game that balls would leave the yard. Those expectations were validated on the fourth pitch of the game as Annie Heineman sent her sixth home run of the season out of the park. It was her second leadoff home run of the season.
ISU's offense threatened even more in the top of the first, loading the bases with one out. Kara Repp then walked to bring in the second run of the game. However, Bradley starter Alyson Spinas-Valainis recorded two strikeouts to end the inning and keep the damage to a minimum.
In the bottom of the inning, Bradley sent six to the plate and scored a run off of ISU starter Sarah Finck. Finck, an East Peoria native, was making her second start in as many weeks against the Braves.
In the top of the second, Lindsey Greene led off the inning with a solo home run to extend ISU's lead to two. It was the second-straight inning ISU had a leadoff home run and it was Greene's third of the season.
Finck moved through the second and the third with little trouble, allowing three hits, but receiving good support from her defense.
However, in the bottom of the fourth, the Braves offense mounted a rally. After four singles and three runs scored, Finck was chased from the game with her team trailing 4-3. Regan Romshek entered in relief and the first three batters she faced singled. Two more runs crossed the plate to make it 6-3 before ISU could get out of the inning.
In the inning, Bradley had five hits with two outs and two of the runs crossed the plate after the second out was made.
The Redbird offense came right back, though, with a rally of its own. Riley Strandgard hit her sixth home run of the season to lead off the top of the fifth, which cut the Bradley lead to two. Later in the frame, Repp singled and Caitlyn Daly walked to put two on for Greene.
Greene, who had hit zero home runs in the first three years of her career, unloaded her second shot of the day, a three-run homer to dead centerfield. Her four RBIs are a new career-high as are the two home runs. The home run gave ISU a 7-6 lead.
In the circle, Romshek settled down and retired seven-straight batters heading into the bottom of the seventh with the score still 7-6.
Shannon King led off the inning with a high fly ball to centerfield. With the wind blowing stiffly, the ball carried and dropped down for a leadoff double. Romshek came back and got the next batter to fly to center for the first out. She then walked Kendall Duffy to put runners on first and second with one out.
Romshek fielded a ground ball hit back to her and threw to first for the second out. The runners moved up a base on the play. Brittany Burgess then stepped to the plate and lined a ball to centerfield. Heineman came racing in and dove for the ball, but came up just short. The hit landed and both runs scored, giving Bradley an 8-7 victory.
It's the third time this season that ISU has lost on a walk off hit and the Redbirds are now 20-27 overall and 11-9 in the Missouri Valley Conference. The loss also drops ISU to 6-3 in one-run ballgames.
Romshek took the loss in the circle, falling to 11-15 on the season. The offense was led by Greene who finished 2-3 with two homers, two runs scored and four RBIs. Strandgard also had two hits for the Redbirds.
ISU will return home this weekend to face Loyola in a three-game series on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday's doubleheader will be played at 12 and 2:30 p.m. while Sunday's game will begin at noon. Following Sunday's game, the Redbirds will celebrate Senior Day.
A live audio broadcast will be available for all three games on GoRedbirds.com.
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