Olson Leads Redbirds to a Series Sweep on Senior Day

NORMAL, Ill. – Several Marian Kneer Stadium records were shattered on a successful senior day for the Redbirds. Illinois State (21-25, 12-11 MVC) swept Valparaiso (12-31, 3-21) in the Redbirds' final home series of the 2022 season, shutting the Beacons out 17-0 in game two of the series and closing it out with a 7-4 victory in the final game. 

Previously, the record for most runs scored in a game at Marian Kneer Stadium stood at 15 set by the Redbirds back on April 9, 2017, against Loyola when Illinois State blasted eight home runs. That game also held the record for most RBI recorded by a team as the Redbirds collected 15 RBI in that game. Today, Illinois State broke both those records in the first game of the doubleheader, scoring 17 runs and collecting 17 RBI as a team. 

Individually, Emme Olson tied the record for most hits by a single player in a game at Marian Kneer with four, and she is the fifth player to do it (last was Alyssa Wiebel vs. Loyola on April 28, 2019).

BIRD BITS (Game 1)

Offensive Highlights:

• Emme Olson: 4-for-4, HR, 2 2B, 3 R, 5 RBI
• Delainey Bryant: 2-for-3, HR, BB, 3 R, 3 RBI
• Reili Gardner: 2-for-3, 2B, 2 R, 4 RBI

Pitching Breakdown:

• Amanda Fox: 5.0 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 7 SO

HOW IT HAPPENED

• To say the Redbirds' bats were hot in the first game of the day would be an understatement as Illinois State scored 17 runs, seven in the second inning and 10 in the fourth inning, on 14 hits (three doubles and two home runs). 
• Starting pitcher Amanda Fox shutdown the Beacons' offense, scattering just two hits and giving up three walks while striking out seven batters. 
• Senior Emme Olson started her perfect game with a single to right field as Olson batted in the leadoff spot, but the Redbirds did not score until the second. 
• Freshman Abby Knight started the second inning rally with a single down the right field line. The next two batters, Dayna Kennedy and Rebecca Moffett, reached safely on errors by the Beacons' defense. A single up the middle from Reili Gardner and another error in center field, allowed two runs to score and give the Redbirds runners on second and third, one out. Olson followed with her second hit of the day, this one a double to left center field, driving in Moffett and Gardner. A pair of walks were drawn by Kaili Chval and Delainey Bryant to load the bases again for Illinois State. A ground ball shot through the right side gave Jayden Standish her first hit of the day, and added two more runs on the board for the Redbirds. 
• With Illinois State leading 6-0 in the bottom of the second, Valpo made a change in the circle as Madison Wathen entered in relief of Easton Seib. Knight, who led off the second with a single, came back around to bat for a second time. Knight hit a sacrifice fly to center field, deep enough to score Bryant from third. Kennedy popped up the first base in foul territory to end the second, but the damage had been done as the Redbirds led 7-0 after two complete. 
• The Redbirds broke the game open in the fourth inning, scoring 10 runs on nine hits, two of those were home runs. 
• Olson led off the fourth inning, blasting her fourth home run of the season and collecting her third hit in as many at bats. Chval followed up with an infield single and Bryant drove her home on another Illinois State home run to left center. The Beacons made another change in the circle, and Caitlyn Kowalski entered in relief of Wathen.
• Standish, the first batter Kowalski faced, drew a walk and Madi Bylak entered to pinch run. Knight also drew a walk to give the Redbirds first and second. Moffett loaded the bases with an infield single and Gardner capitalized, smashing a double to center field and tacking on two more runs. The Redbirds batted around, allowing Olson to step up to the dish for the second time this inning. She doubled to left field to score Gardner and Moffett, giving the Redbirds a 14-0 lead. Chval singled to put runners on the corners and Bryant singled and advanced to second on an error by Valpo, Olson scored. Bylak got her first at bat of the day and she chopped a single up the middle that scored both Chval and Bryant. 
• Illinois State now led 17-0 with two outs in the fourth. Valparaiso reentered Seib to get the final out and end the Redbirds' 10-run rally. 
• The Beacons threatened to score in the top of the fifth as they loaded the bases on a walk and a pair of singles, but Fox picked up two strikeouts and a fly out to center to earn her 11^th victory of the season.

BIRD BITS (Game 2)

Offensive Highlights:

• Emme Olson: 2-for-4, HR, 2 R, RBI
• Delainey Bryant: 2-for-4, 3B, 2 R, RBI
• Jayden Standish: 2-for-3, 2 2B, BB, RBI
• Dayna Kennedy: 1-for-2, HR, BB, R, 2 RBI

Pitching Breakdown:

• Hannah Ross: 7.0 IP, 10 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 4 SO, WP

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Olson was a tough out to get today as she led off the second game of the day with a single up the middle, her fifth hit in as many at bats on the day. A sacrifice bunt and a ground out moved Olson to third. Standish drew a walk, and ball four was a wild pitch that Olson scored on to give the Redbirds an early 1-0 lead after one inning of play. 
• Valpo tied it up in the top of the third as the Beacons singled with a runner on third to score their first run of the day and breakup Illinois State's 11.2 scoreless innings pitched, dating back to the first game against Valpo. 
• The Redbirds regained the lead in the bottom half of the third as Bryant registered an infield single and Standish doubled to left center, giving Illinois State runners on second and third. Knight doubled to center field, and Bryant scored, but Standish was thrown out at the plate. With Knight on second and two outs in the inning, Kennedy stepped up to the plate and hit a no-doubter over the wall in left center to put the Redbirds up 4-1 over the Beacons. 
• Valparaiso tacked on another run in the top of the fourth on an error by the Redbirds to bring the score to 4-2, but it would not stay that way for long. 
• Olson collected her second home run of the day, this one crushed to right center, to earn that run back and make it 5-2, advantage Redbirds. 
• Illinois State added some insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth as Gardner led off the inning with an infield single. She advanced to second on a wild pitch and Bryant ripped her fifth triple of the season to center field, Gardner coming around to score. Standish hit her second double of the day following Bryant's triple, who easily scored from third. 
• The Beacons were looking to make a comeback in the top of the seventh as they plated two runs on three hits with two outs in the inning. The Redbirds were able to end the inning on a fielder's choice, getting the lead runner out at second and earning the series sweep in a 7-4 victory over Valparaiso. 

NOTES

• The last time Illinois State scored 17 runs total in a game was back on March 1, 2013, against LIU Brooklyn at a tournament in Orlando, Florida. The Redbirds scored 17 runs on 14 hits and shutout the Sharks in five innings. They scored two in the first, six in the second and nine in the third. Against the Beacons, the Redbirds also scored 17 runs on 14 hits and shutout Valpo in five innings, but scored seven runs in the second and 10 in the fourth. The Redbirds scored 18 runs on April 29, 2017 against Evansville, and that would be the most recent time Illinois State has scored 17+ runs. 
• The last time Illinois State scored 10 runs in a single inning was on April 29, 2017, against conference foe, Evansville. The Redbirds played in Evansville, and beat the Aces 18-0 in five innings, scoring 10 runs in the third inning. Jordan de los Reyes was 3-for-3 with a double, home run, two runs scored and 5 RBI.
• Olson, one of the Redbirds' four seniors recognized on senior day today, was 6-for-8 with two doubles, two home runs, five runs scored, and six RBI in the doubleheader against Valpo. She is now just a double short of landing a spot in the record book for doubles in a single season. Olson needs to 16 to tie Tiffany Prager for fifth most, and Robin Chapman is in the top spot with 20 doubles in a single season which she did back in 1990. 
• Kennedy blasted her ninth home run of the season which is her 13^th career home run. In the past three conference series (Bradley, UNI, and Valpo), Kennedy has hit five home runs and collected 11 RBI. 

ON DECK

Illinois State will travel to Carbondale, Ill. to take on Southern Illinois (25-18-1, 14-10 MVC) for its final conference series of the 2022 season. 

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