CARBONDALE, Ill. – Pitcher Morgan Day turned in the best performance of her freshman campaign on Saturday for Illinois State (10-22, 1-4 MVC), throwing a one-hitter against Southern Illinois (18-11, 3-2 MVC) to help the Redbirds split the two-game set to close a 32-game road swing. Day was the first Illinois State pitcher to throw a one-hitter since teammate Sarah Finck tossed one against Evansville on April 29, 2017.
"We were able to piece it together today," ISU head softball coach Melinda Fischer shared. "We have been waiting for this all season. Morgan (Day) did an outstanding job in the circle for us today. I thought we battled in our at-bats and we had some great opportunities that we were able to utilize. At other times, I thought they shut us down but I am really proud that we were able to add on the runs that we did. It was a total team effort today and Morgan really did a great job."
Game Two – ISU 6, SIU 0
Each side put a pair of runners on base in the opening inning of the second game, but neither side could scratch a run across home plate. In the second, back-to-back singles by Alyssa Wiebel and Caitlyn Daly to lead off the second inning started Illinois State's offense at the dish. A two-out walk issued to Abby Turczyn loaded the bases, before Riley Hale was hit by a pitch to bring home the first Redbird runner.
Illinois State extended its lead in the third, as Wiebel's second hit of the game brought home Allison Spence and Riley Strandgard to help the Redbirds to a three-run advantage. In the bottom of the frame, starting pitcher Morgan Day and the Redbird defense worked a quick 1-2-3 third inning to send down the ninth-straight Saluki to close the frame.
Hale launched a lead-off single to left field and Strandgard was walked in the top of the fourth, but couldn't make it across home plate for the Redbirds. Southern Illinois' lead-off batter reached first base on an Illinois State error, but a fielder's choice kept the Salukis from advancing any further.
In the fifth, Illinois State was sent down in order before Day and the Redbird defense responded in the bottom of the frame to keep the Salukis hitless and Day's strikeout counter up to four. A one-out single through the right side by Hale forced a pitching change by the Salukis, who were able to get out of the top of the frame. Southern Illinois was issued a lead-off walk, but the Redbird defense continued to stand firm behind their pitcher to keep the Salukis off the board.
A four-pitch walk issued to Strandgard continued Illinois State's momentum in the top of the seventh. Coursey hit a single over the Southern Illinois shortstop's head to put two on. Centerfielder Wiebel's third hit of the game loaded the bases, while a sac fly to right centerfield by pinch hitter Riley Phipps brought Strandgard across home plate. A single by Turczyn dropped into a pile of three Saluki fielders brought two more Redbirds across home plate to double Illinois State's lead going into the final frame.
Day struck out her career-high seventh and eighth batters in the final frame to secure the one-hit shutout of the Salukis, giving Illinois State its first conference win of the season to close its 32-game road trip.
Game One – ISU 3, SIU 6
Back-to-back ground outs to Andrea Coursey moved Southern Illinois' lead-off batter to third base, but a ground out to Riley Strandgard closed the first inning of play to start the two-game series.
Strandgard stepped up to the dish in the second, dropping a one-out single over the Salukis starting pitcher's head to get on base for the Redbirds. Coursey followed up with a single through the right side, but a 5-3 double play kept the Redbirds from scratching a run across. Starting pitcher Sarah Finck and the Redbird defense worked a quick home half in the second to keep the game knotted at zero.
Centerfielder Alyssa Wiebel launched a one-out single to left field at the bottom of the Redbird lineup, but was unable to advance any further. Southern Illinois loaded the bases in the bottom of the third, but a fielder's choice at third closed the inning and kept the Saluki threat at ease.
The Salukis registered their second hit of the game in the bottom of the fourth, but the game remained scoreless going into the fifth inning.
In the fifth, Caitlyn Daly launched a two-out double to centerfield, and back-to-back walks were issued to Alyssa Wiebel and Riley Hale to load the bases for the Redbirds, but Southern Illinois shut it down and prevented Illinois State from scratching a run across. In the home half of the frame, the Salukis tacked on three runs to hold the three-run advantage before Finck struck out her first batter for the final out of the inning.
Junior Allison Spence slammed a lead-off single against the right field wall to start Illinois State's momentum in the sixth. A fielder's choice to get Spence out at second helped Shannon Felde make it on base for the Redbirds. A one-out single dropped into centerfield by Strandgard put two, bringing Coursey to the dish. After being patient, a double dropped into right centerfield by the freshman brought home Felde to put Illinois State on the board with a pair of Redbirds remaining in scoring position. A bunt by pinch hitter Riley Phipps, followed by a single through the right side by Daly, brought home the third Redbird to knot the game at three-all.
Southern Illinois scratched across a trio of runs in the bottom of the frame to hold a 6-3 lead going into the final inning of game one for the Redbirds. Despite a lead-off single to left field by Hale and a walk drawn by Spence, the Salukis escaped the tying run at the plate for the Redbirds to take the opening game, 6-3.
Illinois State will play its long awaited home opener next weekend at Marian Kneer Stadium when it hosts Indiana State. The Redbirds and the Sycamores will play a single game at 4 p.m. on Friday before the pair square off in doubleheader action on Saturday beginning at 12 p.m.
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