GAINESVILLE, Fla. – A single to centerfield from Allison Spence brought Alex Caliva home in the top of the eighth inning to help Illinois State (5-10) top Maryland (3-11), 8-7, to close out the 2018 Aquafina Invitational. The Redbirds are now 3-0 all-time against the Terrapins.
"After a disappointing weekend, you never know how day three is going to go," head softball coach Melinda Fischer said. "Shannon's (Felde) first at-bat really set the tone for us at the plate, while Sarah (Finck) set the tone in the circle. I think we have learned that every game is going to be a battle for us and that's what we did today. For a team that hasn't been able to do what they wanted to do all weekend, I think we really showed up today."
Maryland's second pitch of the game came in to lead-off batter Shannon Felde, who lifted her third home run of the season over the left field wall to help the Redbirds jump on the board. Spence dropped a one-out single into centerfield and Alyssa Wiebel followed with a walk to put two Redbirds on base, but a strikeout ended the inning to prevent Illinois State from extending its lead.
The Terrapins responded in the bottom of the inning, with back-to-back singles to get two on base. A line drive triple down the right field line brought both runners home, but Andrea Coursey threw the Terrapin out at home in her attempt of an in-the-park home run to limit Maryland's lead.
Coursey stepped up to the plate to lead off the second inning for the Redbirds, hitting a single into centerfield. A one-out single to left field by Stephanie Thulen put Redbird runners on the corners. Felde's bat stayed hot, bringing home Coursey and keeping a pair of Redbirds on base. A throwing error by Maryland's pitcher helped Illinois State regain the lead before a stand-up double by Spence, after a pitching change by the Terrapins, pushed the Redbirds out to a three-run lead. In the bottom of the inning, Sarah Finck and the Redbird defense sent Maryland down in order to keep Illinois State ahead, 5-2.
Finck recorded her second strikeout of the game in the bottom of the third, but not before the Terrapins added two runs to the board to cut into the Redbirds lead. Illinois State rebounded in the bottom of the fourth, sending Maryland down in order to keep the one-run lead going into the fifth. A Terrapin lined into a 4-3 double play in bottom of the fifth, but Maryland followed up with a solo home run over the centerfield wall to knot the game at five-all.
A lead-off single to third base by Wiebel started seventh inning momentum for the Redbirds. Shortstop Riley Strandgard followed up with a sac bunt, but reached first on an error by the second baseman to put two runners on base with zero outs. Lauren Prader dropped a single into right field to juice the bases for the Redbirds. A single up the middle by Coursey brought home two Redbirds to take a 7-5 lead. Pinch hitter Riley Phipps reloaded the bases for Illinois State, but a fielder's choice at home plate kept the Redbirds ahead by just two.
In the bottom of the frame, a two-out double to left field put Terrapin runners in scoring position. A Redbird throwing error helped Maryland tie the game back up to send the game into extra innings. With a runner on second, a single to centerfield by Spence brought home Caliva to help Illinois State take a one-run lead. Finck and the Redbird defense stood firm in the bottom of the frame, giving the Redbirds the victory over the Terrapins.
Illinois State will return to the field next weekend when it plays in the LSU Tiger Classic. The Redbirds are set to face off against Florida Atlantic, McNeese State, Purdue and tournament host No. 7 LSU.
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