SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A combined 11 runs were scoring in the final two innings by both the Illinois State (9-20, 0-2 MVC) and Missouri State (15-10, 2-0 MVC) softball teams in the second game of a doubleheader at Killian Sports Complex on Friday. The Bears came out on top in the first game, 4-2, and took the second game with a come-from-behind seventh inning rally, 7-6.
Game One: Illinois State 2, Missouri State 4
After the Redbirds were sent down in order in the top of the first, a pair of singles pushed Missouri State out to an early 2-0 lead. A single up the middle brought two more Bears home for a 4-0 lead after one, but starting pitcher Sarah Finck's first strikeout of the game closed the inning.
Right fielder Riley Hale registered Illinois State's first hit in the second inning, but was thrown out at second base to hold the Redbirds off the board. Finck and the Redbird defense sent the Bears down in order in the bottom of the frame.
In the third, Caitlyn Daly launched a lead-off single to right-center field, while catcher Lauren Prader followed with a single of her own to centerfield. An error by Missouri State's second baseman brought Daly home to put Illinois State on the board. With a pair of runners in scoring position, Alex Caliva was hit by a pitch to load the bases up, but a lineout to the Bears' third baseman ended the top of the inning for the Redbirds.
Caliva slammed a one-out double against the left field wall in the fifth inning for her first hit of the afternoon. A single to right field by Allison Spence brought Caliva charging home and forced the Bears to make a pitching change. A two-out single up the middle by Hale put two on base for the Redbirds, but a fielder's choice to get Riley Strandgard out at third base ended Illinois State's momentum in the inning.
Finck and the Redbird defense held the Bears without a hit for three innings before a single through the right side in the bottom of the fifth inning put a base runner on for Missouri State. Daly dropped a lead-off single over the third baseman's head, but would be thrown out on a double play by the Bears in the next at-bat to prevent the Redbirds from cutting any further into Missouri State's lead.
In the top of the seventh, the Redbirds attempted to make a comeback as Spence drew a full-count walk, but the Bears held off Illinois State to take the 4-2 win in game one.
Game One: Illinois State 6, Missouri State 7
It was a battle of freshmen in the circle to start the second game, as the Redbirds and the Bears put their rookies in to start the game. In the top of the second inning, Alyssa Wiebel drew a lead-off walk after being patient at the plate with a handful of pitches but couldn't make her way off of first. In the bottom of the frame, Morgan Day threw her first strikeout to close the inning.
Senior Abby Turczyn was hit by a pitch with one out in the third and Riley Hale was dealt a walk to put two on base for the Redbirds. A single launched into centerfield by Shannon Felde brought Turczyn home from second base to put Illinois State on the board and give them the 1-0 advantage. Caitlyn Daly was forced to go to work early in left field, as the senior matched a career-high five putouts by the end of the third.
Hale drew a lead-off walk in the fifth and a sac bunt by Felde moved the centerfielder into scoring position. A double smoked to right field by Allison Spence pushed Hale across home plate to move the Redbirds ahead by two runs. In the bottom of the inning, Illinois State sent Missouri State down in order.
With two outs, catcher Brittni LaFountaine reached first base on an error by the second baseman and Kori Mesecher entered to pinch run – and stole second – moving into scoring position. A single to second base by Turczyn in the next at-bat allowed Mesecher to touch home plate for the third run in the top of the sixth. In the bottom of the inning, the Bears started to make a comeback. With a pair of runners on, a single to centerfield brought home a Missouri State runner to cut into Illinois State's lead. In the next at-bat, the Bears hit a three-run shot over the right field wall to go ahead, 4-3.
Felde led off the top of the seventh with a lead-off single to third base. An error by Missouri State's shortstop put two on for the Redbirds. A second error – this time by the Bears' right fielder – brought the go-ahead run home for Illinois State, as the Redbirds regained the one-run lead and forced a Missouri State pitching change. A single by Alex Caliva to left field brought the sixth Redbird home to put Illinois State ahead by two runs going into the bottom of the inning.
A lead-off double down the right field line by Missouri State continued the Bears' late-inning rally. A pair of singles, including one down the right field line, allowed the Bears to take the second game from Illinois State and the series.
Action will conclude for Illinois State tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m. – two hours later than the original start time due to rescheduling of Friday's doubleheader.
GoRedbirds.com: Your online source for Illinois State Athletics, tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
