CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – Dayna Kennedy shined today as the junior catcher had four hits, two home runs, and three RBI in Illinois State's (19-24, 9-10 MVC) pair of losses (G1 – 7-8, G2 – 3-7) to the top team in the conference, Northern Iowa (26-11, 17-1 MVC).
BIRD BITS (game 1)
Offensive Highlights:
- Dayna Kennedy: 3-for-4, HR, 2 RBI, R
- Emme Olson: 2-for-3, 2 2B, BB, RBI
- Jayden Standish: 1-for-3, 2B, RBI, R
- Reili Gardner: 1-for-2, 3B, 2 R
Pitching Breakdown:
- Amanda Fox: 4.1 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 5 SO, HBP
- Hannah Ross: 2.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 SO
HOW IT HAPPENED
- In the first frame of the game, Kaili Chval singled to left field and Emme Olson drew a walk to give the Redbirds a pair of runners, but they were both left stranded.
- Northern Iowa was the first on the board as the Panthers scratched a run across in the bottom of the first on a couple singles and hit by pitch.
- The Redbirds took the lead in the top of the third as Reili Gardner drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Delainey Bryant reached on a throwing error by the pitcher, the ball ending up in right field and allowing Gardner to score. Chval got hit by a pitch to reach safely in her second at bat of the day, and Bryant advanced to second. Olson then doubled off the wall in center field, scoring Bryant and giving the Redbirds second and third, no one out.
- After a strange caught stealing situation erased the runner on second for the Redbirds, Jayden Standish doubled to left field, scoring Chval. Standish was able to advanced to third on a wild pitch and a ground out from Abby Knight allowed Standish score. After the top of the third, Illinois State led 4-1 over UNI.
- The Panthers got a run back in the bottom of the third on an error by the Redbird defense.
- In the fourth, Gardner collected her first triple of the season as she shot a ball down the right field line. Bryant then picked up an RBI on a sacrifice fly to right field, extending the Redbirds' lead to 5-2.
- Northern Iowa tightened it up in the bottom of the fourth on a two-run home run, bringing the Panthers within one run of the Redbirds.
- Illinois State was able to score again in the top of the fifth as Dayna Kennedy homered to left field, her sixth of the season, and made it a 6-4 game.
- The Panthers tied it up in the bottom of the fifth after a solo home run and a pair of doubles, forcing the Redbirds to make a change in the circle. Hannah Ross entered and was able to keep it tied at 6-6 through five innings. In the bottom of the sixth, UNI took the lead on a leadoff double followed by a single, but Ross limited to damage to just the one run.
- In the top of the seventh, Olson registered her second double of the day and Madi Bylak entered to pinch run. Standish got hit by a pitch to give Illinois State runners on first and second, and Knight advanced the runners on a ground out to the pitcher. Kennedy then knocked an infield single to score Bylak and tie the game at 7-7.
- Back-to-back singles and a sacrifice bunt gave the Panthers runners on second and third with one out in the bottom of the seventh. A sacrifice fly scored the runner on third and the UNI won 8-7 in game one of the doubleheader.
BIRD BITS (game 2)
Offensive Highlights:
Pitching Breakdown:
- Hannah Ross: 4.0 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 4 SO
- Amanda Fox: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 0 ER, BB, 2 SO
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Bryant started game two with a leadoff double to left field, but Illinois State came up empty in the first.
- The Panthers were the first to score as they smashed their second grand slam of the series, this one unearned has a dropped third strike that was a passed ball allowed the inning to continue. UNI was quickly up 4-0.
- The Redbirds did not have another baserunner until the fourth inning when Chval got hit by a pitch, but UNI struck out the side to leave her stranded.
- Illinois State got on the board in the fifth as Kennedy blasted her second home run of the day, this one a no-doubter to center field. The Panthers still led 4-1.
- A three-run home run in the bottom of the fifth extended UNI's lead to 7-1 over the Redbirds.
- Illinois State was able to tack on another run in the sixth as Bryant went deep to right field, smashing her sixth home run of the season.
- It was 7-2 heading into the final frame of the game and the Redbirds were down to their last out with a runner on second after Rebecca Moffett had drawn her third walk of the day. Bryant was able to hit the ball over the center fielder's head, and Moffett scored, making it 7-3. A hard hit line drive to left field, caught by the Panther's defender, ended the game and UNI won 7-3.
ON DECK
Illinois State returns home on Wednesday, April 27 to take on I-74 rival, Bradley (22-21, 10-10 MVC), in the rubber match of the series between the Redbirds and the Braves. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. CT at Marian Kneer Stadium and the game will be broadcast on ESPN3/+.
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