NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State softball team fell by scores of 9-5 and 6-2 to Missouri State in twin bill action at Marian Kneer Stadium on Saturday. Tomorrow's series finale versus the Bears has been cancelled due to expected inclement weather and low temperatures moving into the area overnight.
BIRD BITS VS. MISSOURI STATE (L, 9-5) – GAME 1
Top Performers:
BY THE NUMBERS / KEY INNINGS VS. MISSOURI STATE (L, 9-5) – GAME 1
- The Bears scratched a pair of runs across in the opening frame on a sac fly to left field and a two-out double to right center field for an early lead. ISU responded in the bottom of the inning with a pair of runs off an RBI single to center field by Ellie Weltha to level the score at two-all.
- Brittni LaFountaine launched her third home run of the season over the left field wall to lead off the home half of the second.
- The Bears capitalized in the top of the third by pushing five runs across to hold a 7-3 advantage.
- Ali Domkuski checked into the circle in relief for ISU in the Bears' big third inning, not allowing a base runner, while registering four strikeouts going into the sixth inning.
- ISU pushed a pair of runs across in the bottom of the fifth on an obstruction by MSU at home plate and a single to left field by Alyssa Wiebel, trailing the Bears, 7-5.
- In the top of the seventh, the Bears lifted a two-run shot over the left field wall to push MSU back out to a four-run advantage.
- ISU battled back in the home half of the inning, but MSU held on for the 9-5 series-opening win.
BIRD BITS VS. MISSOURI STATE (L, 6-2) – GAME 2
Top Performers:
BY THE NUMBERS / KEY INNINGS VS. MISSOURI STATE (L, 6-2) – GAME 2
- A two-out double to center field by Shannon Felde pushed Taylor Vanderpool across home plate in the bottom of the second. Riley Hale doubled in the next at-bat – ISU's sixth hit of the game – bringing a new pitcher to the circle for MSU.
- The Redbirds went down in order for the first time in the fourth inning, after ISU sent the Bears down in order in the third.
- MSU pushed a pair of runs across on a pair of RBI singles to hold a 2-1 advantage going into the bottom of the fifth.
- The Bears added four more runs in the top of the sixth to hold a 6-1 lead over the Redbirds, before relief pitcher Morgan Day struck out the final two batters of the inning to leave the bases loaded.
- Day tossed three-straight strikeouts to close the top of the seventh and leave a base runner on for MSU. The sophomore finished with five strikeouts in 1.2 innings of work.
- Riley Hale led off the final frame with a double to left center for ISU's 10th hit of the game – and 20th of the day – making the Redbirds just MSU's second opponent of the season to register double-digit hits.
- The Redbirds scratched a run across in the final frame, but ultimately fell, 6-2, to the visiting Bears.
ON DECK
Illinois State will travel to Des Moines, Iowa, next weekend for its first Missouri Valley Conference series on the road since March 23-24 to face the Drake Bulldogs, after wrapping up its nonconference slate with a mid-week match-up at DePaul on Tuesday.
For updates on Illinois State Softball, follow the Redbirds on Twitter (@RedbirdsSB) and Instagram (@redbirdsoftball).
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