GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Illinois State softball team opened the Bubly Invitational on Friday, dropping a pair of contests to Syracuse and tournament host No. 3 Florida.
BIRD BITS VS. SYRACUSE (L, 3-5)
Top Performers:
Pitching Breakdown:
- Shannon Felde: 4.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 4 K
- Ali Domkuski: 2.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 3 K
- Morgan Day: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
BY THE NUMBERS / KEY INNINGS VS. SYRACUSE (L, 3-5)
- Shannon Felde recorded her first two strikeouts of the game to close the first and open the second inning. The senior struck out her third Orange to slam the door on the top of the second, sending Syracuse down in order.
- Syracuse scratched a run across in the top of the third to take an early 1-0 lead. In the home half of the inning, Felde's bat stayed hot, as she knocked her second single of the game to right field for ISU's first two hits of the game.
- Allison Spence drew a lead-off walk, as a sac bunt by Alyssa Wiebel moved pinch runner Kenzie Pence into scoring position in the bottom of the fourth. In the next at-bat, a double to left center field by Brittni LaFountaine helped the Redbirds level the score at one-all.
- The Orange scratched a trio of runs across in the top of the fifth to hold a 4-1 lead over the Redbirds.
- Ali Domkuski and the Redbird defense sent the Orange down in order in the top of the sixth, before ISU gained a run back off of a pair of doubles by Wiebel and Ellie Weltha.
- Syracuse walked in a run with bases loaded and one out, bringing Morgan Day in for relief. The sophomore fanned the first batter, before a pop-up to Spence helped ISU get out of the bases-loaded jam.
- A single by Spence brought Felde across home plate to make it 5-3 in favor of Syracuse, as the Orange fought off the Redbird rally to hold on for the win.
BIRD BITS VS. NO. 3 FLORIDA (L, 0-7)
Top Performers:
BY THE NUMBERS / KEY INNINGS VS. NO. 3 FLORIDA (L, 0-7)
- Florida took an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first on a single, followed by a double.
- Starting pitcher Mack Leonard recorded a pair of strikeouts on Danielle Romanello in her first two at-bats, forcing the Gators to sub out the right fielder.
- In the bottom of the third with the bases loaded and one out, Morgan Day checked into the circle for ISU after the Gators jumped out to a 5-0 lead. Two more runs scored in the bottom of the third, but a Gator popped up to Taylor Vanderpool at second base, before ISU completed the double play at home plate to keep the Florida lead to seven.
- Shannon Felde knocked a lead-off single to right field in the fourth inning, extending her hitting streak to seven games, making it the second-straight outing, and third time in the last five games, that the senior has produced a hit against Florida. Â
- With one out in the fourth, Andrea Coursey pushed a single through the right side put two on for ISU. In the home half of the inning, Day tossed a pair of strikeouts to leave a pair of Gator runners on base, before the sophomore right-handed pitcher matched a season-high four strikeouts in the bottom of the sixth.
- Outfielder Kenzie Pence tallied her first career hit for ISU's third hit of the game in the top of the sixth inning.
ON DECK
Illinois State continues the Bubly Invitational tomorrow with a pair of contests against No. 3 Florida and Florida A&M at 10 a.m. CT and 3 p.m. CT, respectively.
For updates on Illinois State Softball, follow the Redbirds on Twitter (@RedbirdsSB) and Instagram (@redbirdsoftball).
GoRedbirds.com and the Illinois State Redbirds App: Your sources for Illinois State tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
