CHICAGO, Ill. – Illinois State (14-23, 5-5 MVC) used a six-run fifth inning to power past Loyola (16-16, 3-7 MVC) in the series finale of a two-game set in five innings, taking down the Ramblers 8-0.
Right fielder Riley Hale was issued a walk to lead off the game to get the Redbirds on base early. A bunt single in the middle of a trio of Ramblers in front of the plate by Alex Caliva put a pair of runners on, but the duo was left stranded. Starting pitcher Sarah Finck threw heat from the get-go, catching the first Loyola batter looking at her pitches. The next two Ramblers grounded out to send the Ramblers down in order.
A pair of singles by Andrea Coursey and Lauren Prader in the top of the second kept Illinois State busy at the plate, but the Redbirds were still unable to bring a runner home. Loyola notched its first hit of the game in the bottom of the second with one out, but back-to-back ground outs kept the Ramblers off the board.
Caliva sent the first pitch of the third inning up the middle to get Illinois State's lead-off batter on base for the third consecutive inning. A single to right field by Allison Spence put runners on the corners before a passed ball by Loyola's catcher put the pair into scoring position for the Redbirds. A walk issued to Shannon Felde loaded the bases for Riley Strandgard, who launched a sac fly to left field to allow Caliva to touch home plate and put Illinois State on the board. A single to right field by Caitlyn Daly brought Felde home to give the Redbirds a two-run lead going into the bottom of the inning, where the Finck and the Redbirds sent the Ramblers back down in order.
Prader was dealt Illinois State's third walk to start the fourth before a sac bunt by Hale pushed Prader into scoring position to force a Loyola pitching change. A wild pitch sent in by the Ramblers' moved Prader to third base and a play at the plate by Loyola kept the Redbirds to a two-run advantage. In the bottom of the frame, Finck and the Redbird defense continued to take control by sitting the Ramblers down in order for the second-consecutive inning.
Illinois State's bats continued to stay hot, with six hits by six Redbirds – Felde, Alyssa Wiebel, Daly, Prader, Hale and Caliva – in the top of the fifth to push the Redbirds out to an eight-run advantage. A pair of strikeouts by Finck, to go along with a ground out to Strandgard at shortstop, helped Illinois State run-rule its first Valley opponent of the season and first since the Redbirds run-ruled Evansville, 18-0, in the series opener against the Purple Aces in 2017.
Illinois State will resume action at Marian Kneer Stadium next weekend when it hosts Evansville for more Missouri Valley Conference action. A doubleheader between the Redbirds and the Purple Aces is slated to start at 12 p.m. on Saturday before the series finale on Sunday at 11 a.m.
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