NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State softball team (25-6, 11-2 MVC) used power at the plate and a pair of shutout performances in the circle to take down I-74 rival Bradley (15-15, 8-9 MVC) on Thursday night.
BIRD BITS – Game 1 (W, 8-0 in 6 inn.)
Top Offensive Players:
Pitching Breakdown:
- Morgan Day: 6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 10 K (third one-hitter of the season)
BY THE NUMBERS / KEY INNINGS – Game 1 (W, 8-0 in 6 inn.)
- The first hit of the game for either team was a triple delivered by Madi Bylak in the bottom of the second, while Reili Gardner drew a walk with two outs. Mack Leonard launched her team-leading seventh long ball of the season over the left center field wall to push ISU ahead, 3-0.
- Andrea Coursey knocked a solo shot in nearly the same location as Leonard to give the Redbirds a four-run advantage in the third, as the Braves made a pitching change.
- Right-handed hurler Morgan Day surrendered her first hit to Bradley in the top of the fourth, before getting out of the frame with her seventh strikeout.
- Leonard lifted her second home run of the game – this time a two-run shot – over the center field wall to give the Redbirds a six-run advantage.
- After the Redbirds sat the Braves down in order in the top of the fifth, Spenser Strandgard bombed Illinois State's third homer to lead off the home half of the inning.
- Kaili Chval scored the game winner in the bottom of the sixth on a Bradley error, as Day tossed the complete-game one-hitter – her third of the season.
BIRD BITS – Game 2 (W, 7-0)
Top Offensive Players:
Pitching Breakdown:
BY THE NUMBERS / KEY INNINGS – Game 2 (W, 7-0)
- Illinois State broke open scoring in the bottom of the opening frame with a two-out homer by Dayna Kennedy.
- A throwing error on a sac bunt kept Redbird runners on the corners, as Spenser Strandgard charged across home plate for a 3-0 advantage for ISU.
- The Redbirds extended their lead in the fourth with an RBI single from Madi Bylak, driving Jayden Standish home.
- Three-straight walks to lead off the home half of the sixth juiced the bases for the Redbirds. An RBI single and sac fly brought a pair of runners home for a six-run lead. Illinois State's fifth walk of the inning – this time drawn by Mack Leonard – sent another Redbird home, before the Braves escaped the bases-loaded jam trailing 7-0.
- Leonard's sixth strikeout sealed it for the Redbirds, as the junior collected her ninth win in the circle.
ON DECK
Illinois State will travel to Evansville, Indiana, this weekend to take on the Purple Aces, before wrapping up the three-game set with Bradley on the road next Tuesday at 3 p.m.
To view ISU's full schedule and find ways to follow the Redbirds, 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.
