NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State softball team (16-23, 7-5 MVC) battled back in game one, and scored early in game two, to take the series over Evansville (11-25, 4-9 MVC) with a pair of wins in Friday's twin bill action.
Game One: ISU 2, UE 1
Back-to-back strikeouts registered by starting pitcher Sarah Finck, followed by a ground out to the senior, helped Illinois State send Evansville down in order to start the game. On the offensive side, Alex Caliva pushed a one-out single through the left side but was left stranded on base to close the first inning.
Evansville's pitcher Morgan Florey hit a one-out double to right field, but back-to-back outs in the next at-bats kept the Purple Aces off of the board. A lead-off single up the middle by Riley Strandgard helped the Redbirds get on base for the second-straight inning. A sac bunt by Alyssa Wiebel moved Strandgard into scoring position, but was unable to make it across home plate.
The Purple Aces responded with a lead-off single of their own, before a one-out single put runners on the corners. Back-to-back ground outs to Strandgard held Evansville from scratching a run across. In the bottom of the frame, Florey and the Purple Aces defense sent Illinois State down in order for the first time.
Strandgard continued to stay hot at the plate in the fourth, dropping a two-out double into right center field, but Evansville's defense stood firm to keep the game knotted at zero through four innings of play. Both sides went down in order in the fifth in a pitcher's duel before the Purple Aces broke open scoring in the sixth. A one-out home run was lifted by the wind over the left field wall to give Evansville the 1-0 advantage.
The Redbirds responded in the bottom of the frame, as Caliva made her way on base after being hit by a pitch and advancing a pair of bases on back-to-back wild pitches. Shannon Felde stepped up to the plate and was issued a two-out walk before a double by Strandgard brought the pair of Redbird runners home to push Illinois State out to a 2-1 lead.
Finck and the Redbird defense went back to work in the top of the seventh, leaving two Purple Aces stranded on base to take the 2-1 series opening win. The senior pitcher finished the day with a season-high seven strikeouts to collect her second-straight Valley win.
Game Two: ISU 4, UE 2
Freshman Morgan Day stepped into the circle for the Redbirds in game two of the doubleheader, as the first Evansville batter battled at the plate for nearly four minutes before the right-handed pitcher struck out her first Purple Ace of the game. A pair of Redbird runners made it on base, as Allison Spence drew a two-out walk and Riley Strandgard's bat continued to stay hot but a pop up in foul territory ended Illinois State's threat.
Day and the Redbird defense sent the Purple Aces down in order for the second-consecutive inning before a lead-off single up the middle by Andrea Coursey put the Redbirds' third base-runner on. In the top of the third with bases loaded, Day fanned her fourth Purple Ace of the game to hold Evansville from scratching a run across. Riley Hale registered Illinois State's third hit of the game in the bottom of the frame but was unable to move into scoring position.
A pair of strikeouts in the top of the fourth by Day moved her up to six in the game – just two away from tying a career-best. In the bottom of the inning, a two-out single to right field by Lauren Prader brought Alyssa Wiebel across home plate, leaving runners on the corners and putting Illinois State on the board. A single to right field by Abby Turczyn helped the Redbirds extend their lead to hold the 2-0 advantage over the Purple Aces going into the fifth.
Illinois State continued to stand firm on defense, sending the Purple Aces down in order for the fourth inning in the fifth before a lead-off double to left field by Hale continued the Redbirds' momentum. Shannon Felde followed with a single to centerfield before a throwing error by the Evansville's centerfielder allowed Hale to come across home plate. With success at the plate, Strandgard was intentionally walked to put runners back on the corners for the Redbirds. A sac fly to centerfield by Wiebel brought Felde home to extend Illinois State's lead out to four runs.
A two-out double in the top of the sixth by Evansville helped the Purple Aces add a pair of runs to the board before Day's career-high ninth strikeout closed the top of the inning. A pair of Redbirds made their way back on base in the bottom of the inning, and the Purple Aces drew a two-out walk in the top of the seventh, but Illinois State stood firm to take the game, 4-2, and the 2-0 series advantage over Evansville.
The Redbirds will go for the three-game sweep of the Purple Aces tomorrow at 11 a.m. – weather permitting. For up-to-date information and schedule changes, please visit GoRedbirds.com or follow the Redbirds on Twitter (@RedbirdsSB).
GoRedbirds.com: Your online source for Illinois State Athletics, tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
