TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The Illinois State softball team (11-20, 5-0 MVC) combined for 22 runs in its doubleheader sweep of Indiana State (11-15, 1-4 MVC) on Saturday, limiting the Sycamores to three runs – with just one earned run – to extend its win streak to five games and keep its untouched conference record.
The last time the Redbirds opened Missouri Valley Conference play with a perfect 5-0 record dates back to 2017, while ISU's 57 runs scored through its first five league games is a program high.
BIRD BITS AT INDIANA STATE (W, 8-1) – GAME 1
Top Performers:
Pitching Breakdown:
- Morgan Day: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 9 K (matches career high)
BY THE NUMBERS / KEY INNINGS AT INDIANA STATE (W, 8-1) – GAME 1
- A single dropped in the right-center gap by Allison Spence in the top of the first inning pushed Shannon Felde across home plate for an early 1-0 lead.
- Alyssa Wiebel launched her fifth homer of the season, and third in four games, over the left field wall in the third to help ISU hold a 4-0 advantage going into the bottom of the frame.
- The Redbirds' seventh hit of the game, and first from Felde, brought the fifth baserunner home for ISU in the fourth, bringing a new pitcher to the circle for the Sycamores.
- Spence's third hit of the game – a double in the fourth – brought a pair of Redbird runners home, before a double by Ellie Weltha in the next at-bat pushed ISU out to an 8-0 advantage.
- Indiana State lifted a lead-off home run over the right field wall in the bottom of the fifth inning to cut into the Redbirds' lead and avoid the run-rule.
- Starting pitcher Morgan Day fanned back-to-back Sycamores to slam the door on the sixth, and matched a career-high nine strikeouts in the seven, grabbing her third Valley win of the season.
BIRD BITS AT INDIANA STATE (W, 14-2 in 5 inn.) – GAME 2
Top Performers:
Pitching Breakdown:
BY THE NUMBERS / KEY INNINGS AT INDIANA STATE (W, 14-2 in 5 inn.) – GAME 2
- Allison Spence's bat stayed hot in the second game, as the senior lifted her third home run of the season over the center field wall to push ISU out to a three-run advantage in the opening frame. The Redbirds scratched four more runs across on seven total hits to hold a commanding 7-0 lead after the first half inning.
- The Redbirds turned a 1-2-3 double play to help ISU escape the bases-loaded jam in the second and keep Indiana State off the board.
- Indiana State scratched a pair of unearned runs across in the bottom of the third to cut into the Redbirds' lead.
- ISU capitalized on back-to-back hits from Spence and Ellie Weltha to open the top of the fifth, as a two-RBI single by Alyssa Wiebel extended the Redbirds' lead back out to seven. The Redbirds tacked on four more runs in the frame to hold a commanding 14-2 advantage going into the home half of the inning.
- Illinois State turned its second double play of the game – this time a 6-4-3 double play – to grab the 14-2 run-rule victory.
ON DECK
Illinois State will go for the series sweep of Indiana State, when it wraps up the three-game set at 10 a.m. CT tomorrow.
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