Illinois State Splits on Day 1 of MTSU Invitational

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The Illinois State softball team (9-4) returned to the field on Friday, opening play at the MTSU Invitational with a doubleheader against Dayton and North Dakota State. The Redbirds were edged in the bottom of the seventh, 3-2, by the Flyers, before rebounding for a 7-1 victory over the Bison.

BIRD BITS – Game 1 vs. Dayton (L, 3-2)

Top Offensive Players:

• Kaili Chval: 3-for-3, R, 3B, BB
• Emme Olson: 1-for-3, R, 3B, RBI

Pitching Breakdown:

• Morgan Day: 6.2 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K

BY THE NUMBERS / KEY INNINGS – Game 1 vs. Dayton (L, 3-2)

• Kaili Chval knocked her first career triple in the opening frame but was left stranded on-base. Dayton jumped on the board in the bottom of the second inning to take an early 1-0 lead.
• Both teams were held scoreless, while each team had just a pair of hits over the next four innings.
• In the top of the seventh, Chval struck again, before a triple by Emme Olson drove the sophomore across home plate to level the score at one-all. In the next at-bat, Dayna Kennedy singled through the left side to send Olson home and give ISU a 2-1 lead.
• Dayton responded in the home half of the inning, taking advantage of a fielding error by the Redbirds in the outfield, scoring a pair of runs to walk it off, 3-2.

BIRD BITS – Game 2 vs. North Dakota State (W, 7-1)

Top Offensive Players:

• Spenser Strandgard: 2-for-2, R, 2 RBI, 2 BB
• Emme Olson: 2-for-3, R, BB
• Chloe Jefferson: 2-for-3, R, RBI, BB

Pitching Breakdown:

• Mack Leonard: 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 5 BB, 2 K

BY THE NUMBERS / KEY INNINGS – Game 2 vs. North Dakota State (W, 7-1)

• A quiet opening frame by both teams was followed up by an RBI infield single by the Bison in the top of the second to push the first run across for either side.
• The Redbirds scratched a pair across in the home half of the inning, as a wild pitch helped Michele Calabrese score and a single from Reili Gardner in the next at-bat drove Spenser Strandgard home for a one-run edge for ISU.
• After a scoreless third and fourth inning by both teams, another wild pitch by the Bison brought Emme Olson charging across home plate in the fifth. Back-to-back singles from Chloe Jefferson and Jayden Standish, followed by a walk drawn by Strandgard, loaded the bases for the Redbirds with two outs. Another walk, this time by Madi Bylak, pushed ISU ahead, 4-1.
• Three more runs in the bottom of the sixth by the Redbirds, highlighted by a two-RBI single up the middle by Strandgard, helped ISU take a 7-1 advantage. A ground out to pitcher Mack Leonard sealed the win for the junior right-handed pitcher and the Redbirds.

ON DECK

Illinois State will continue the MTSU Invitational on Saturday, taking on the tournament host Blue Raiders at 12:30 p.m. CT, before playing in a semifinal contest at either 3 p.m. or 5:30 p.m. CT. Opponent information and updated times will be available on the team's schedule page.

To view ISU's full schedule, visit GoRedbirds.com. Game times, dates, opponents and locations are subject to change.

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.