NORMAL, Ill. – Alyssa Wiebel's second double of the day in the bottom of the ninth, after a lead-off double by Riley Strandgard, helped Illinois State (12-23, 3-5 MVC) walk off with the 6-5 victory over the visiting Sycamores (16-14, 4-4 MVC) to grab the series, 2-1, in the Redbirds' home-opening weekend.
Illinois State's extra-inning thriller marks the sixth time the Redbirds have played free softball this season, posting a 3-3 record when playing more than seven innings in 2018.
Starting pitcher Morgan Day struck out three Sycamores in the top of the first, but not before Indiana State hit a single into short left field to bring a pair of runners home to help the visiting team to a 2-0 lead early on. Allison Spence registered Illinois State's first hit of the day in the bottom of the inning, but was one of two Redbird runners left stranded on base.
Indiana State added a run to the board in the top of the second, bringing relief pitcher Shannon Felde to the circle, who fanned a Sycamore to close the half inning. A pair of singles by Caitlyn Daly and Abby Turczyn, and a walk issued to Lauren Prader, loaded the bases for the Redbirds in the home half of the second to start offensive momentum for Illinois State. A single to centerfield by Felde brought a pair of runners across home plate to help the Redbirds cut into the Sycamores' lead.
Both sides went scoreless in the third and fourth innings, before Indiana State extended its lead in the top of the fifth with a single to help the Sycamores to a 5-2 advantage. In the bottom of the inning, Spence reached first on an error by the Sycamore second baseman before a single dropped into left field by Riley Strandgard put a pair of base runners back on for the Redbirds. Wiebel's first double of the day, and third of the season, dropped into right field to bring Spence across home plate.
After a one-out double hit hard into left field by the Sycamores, Illinois State called Ali Domkuski to the circle to take over pitching the duties, making it the fourth appearance by the junior this season. Domkuski finished the day pitching 3.2 innings of relief while allowing just a single hit to go with a pair of strikeouts, securing her first win of the season.
Pinch hitter Alex Caliva stepped up to the dish to lead off the bottom of the sixth and was hit by the first pitch sent in to put a base runner on for the Redbirds. Turczyn sent the first pitch delivered to her in the next at-bat through the left side to put the tying run on base. A single by Spence brought Riley Hale home from second base before a throwing error by the Sycamores brought Felde across home plate to knot the game at five-all.
Domkuski and the Redbird defense sent the Sycamores down in order in the top of the seventh, and tried to bring the go-ahead run home in the bottom of the frame, but Indiana State forced Illinois State to play its sixth extra-inning game of the season.
A quiet eighth inning, followed by a quick top of the ninth, brought Strandgard back to the dish to start things off for the Redbirds in the bottom of the inning, where a double by Wiebel sent Strandgard home to give Illinois State the 6-5 victory and the Missouri Valley Conference series over the Sycamores.
Illinois State will continue its home stretch and take a break from MVC play on Wednesday, April 4 when No. 22/25 Illinois comes to town. First pitch between the Redbirds and the Illini is set for 5 p.m. at Marian Kneer Stadium.
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