NORMAN, Okla. – The Illinois State softball team (8-14) opened its five-game set at the Oklahoma Tournament on Friday with a pair of setbacks to Indiana (4-15) and the nationally-ranked Sooners (15-2), despite making a seventh-inning comeback against the Hoosiers.
GAME ONE: Illinois State 2, Indiana 5
Indiana was quick to get runners on base to start the game, but a ground out to Sarah Finck – the Redbirds starting pitcher – ended the inning. A back-handed ground out to Alex Caliva at second base helped Illinois State grab the final out of the second inning to send the Hoosiers down in order.
Left fielder Caitlyn Daly nearly hit a lead-off home run in the top of the third, but the Hoosiers made the play at the wall to keep Illinois State off the board. In the bottom of the frame, Finck and the Redbird defense sent Indiana down in order for the second-straight inning.
The Hoosiers hit a lead-off solo shot over the right field wall to take a 1-0 lead in the fourth. A one-out single brought home a second Hoosier, and Indiana tacked on two more runs, to hold a four-run advantage going into the fifth inning.
Junior Riley Hale reached first on an error by the left fielder and made her way to third base in the top of the fifth, but was left stranded. The Redbirds worked a quick 1-2-3 bottom frame to trail by four going into the sixth. An Indiana double brought home a fifth Hoosier, but a 6-4 double play ended the inning.
A lead-off single by Riley Strandgard gave Illinois State its first hit of the game and kick started the Redbirds' seventh-inning comeback. Alyssa Wiebel launched a one-out single to put two on base for Illinois State. Senior Riley Phipps stepped in to pinch hit and was walked to load the bases. A single dumped into centerfield by Daly scratched two runs across for the Redbirds, leaving runners on the corners and forcing an Indiana pitching chance.
Pinch hitter Anni Borries was walked in the first at-bat for the new Indiana pitcher to reload the bases for Illinois State. A 5-2 fielder's choice kept the Redbirds at a three-run deficit before another fielder's choice spoiled Illinois State's comeback, giving Indiana the 5-2 win over the Redbirds to open the Oklahoma Tournament.Â
GAME TWO: Illinois State 0, No. 5 Oklahoma 9 (5 inn.)
The No. 5 Oklahoma Sooners wasted no time getting on the board, jumping out to a 7-0 lead after the first. A line out to Shannon Felde, followed by a foul out to Allison Spence, helped the Redbirds close the opening inning.
After adding another run on the board in the second, junior Ali Domkuski made her first appearance of the 2018 season in the circle for Illinois State. Domkuski gave up one hit, but a ground out to the right-handed pitcher kept the Sooners at ease and helped the Redbirds escape the inning without any more damage.
Newcomer Andrea Coursey hit a lead-off single to centerfield for the Redbirds' first hit of the game, but couldn't make it off of first base. Oklahoma etched its ninth and final run of the game on the board in the bottom of the third, but a second ground out to Domkuski ended the inning.
Riley Strandgard hit a two-out single through the left side for Illinois State's second hit of the game, but was left stranded on base. Head coach Melinda Fischer brought three new outfielders into the game in the bottom of the fourth, as Ashley Emert, Alyssa Wiebel and Kadi Borries entered into left field, centerfield and right field, respectively. Domkuski picked up her first strikeout of the season, fanning Oklahoma's first batter in the fourth. The Sooners would registered another hit, but a fly out to Borries in right field sent the game to the top of the fifth.
Coursey hit a one-out single up the middle to give Illinois State its third hit of the game. The freshman finished the game 2-for-2 at the plate to lead the Redbirds, but Oklahoma kept Illinois State off the board in the fifth for a 9-0 shutout in five innings.
Illinois State will face off against the Hoosiers again tomorrow in the first game of a doubleheader at 12 p.m. before taking on No. 18 South Carolina at approximately 2:30 p.m. Tournament action will conclude on Sunday with a 4 p.m. first pitch against the Sooners.
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