VALPARAISO, Ind. – Illinois State's (13-15, 3-1 MVC) offense led the Redbirds to two wins on Friday afternoon as they beat Valparaiso 14-3 in game one and returned to the field to take down the Beacons 8-5 in game two of the doubleheader.
BIRDS BITS (Game 1)
Offensive Highlights:
- Delainey Bryant: 2-for-4, HR, BB, 2 RBI, 4 R
- Kaili Chval: 3-for-4, BB, 4 RBI, 4 R
- Emme Olson: 1-for-3, 2B, 2 BB, 3 RBI
- Addison Masching: 3-for-4, 2B, BB, 3 RBI
- Dayna Kennedy: 2-for-3, 2B, BB, 3 R
Pitching Breakdown:
- Hannah Ross (W, 2-6): 7.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 7 SO
HOW IT HAPPENED
Illinois State took an early lead in game one of the day as sophomore Addison Masching knocked a two-out double to right center field with senior Kaili Chval on third, and Chval came around to score.
The Redbirds added a few insurance runs in the top of the second. Chval gathered her second hit of the day with the bases loaded that drove in junior Hanna Hicks and senior Dayna Kennedy. Fifth-year senior Emme Olson drew a walk to re-load the bases for the Redbirds and force a pitching change for the Beacons. A high pop up to second base scored Bryant from third as sophomore Abby Knight collected a sacrifice fly. Masching then laced a single to center field to collect another RBI and hit. The Redbirds led 5-0 after two complete innings.
Illinois State entered run-rule territory in the top of the third as Kennedy singled up the middle with two outs in the inning. Bryant beat out an infield single to third base and a walk to Chval loaded the bases for Olson. Olson did what she does best and doubled to the gap in left center field to clear the bases. The Redbirds led 8-0 with at least two innings left to play.
In the top of the fifth, Bryant collected her second hit of the game as well as her second home run of the season as the sophomore slugger went deep to left field. Freshman Bailah Bognar scored on the longball as she entered to pinch run for Kennedy who had doubled to get on base in the at-bat prior to Bryant's.
With a 10-0 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth, Valparaiso put up three runs on three hits in the inning to keep the game alive. A pair of singles from the Beacons' offense drove in the three runs and it was a 10-3 ballgame heading into the sixth.
In the final frame of the game, a pair of leadoff walks to senior Brandi LaFountaine, who had entered to play right field for Hicks, and Kennedy forced another pitching change for Valpo. Bryant reached on a fielder's choice as the first batter after the change in the circle, but a throwing error by the Beacons' defense allowed LaFountaine to score and Kennedy and Bryant to move up a base. Chval then drove in both runners on a hard-hit single up the middle to collect her third and fourth RBI of the game as well as her third hit. Masching also collected her third hit of the game on an RBI single to left field and Chval scored to make it 14-3 in favor of the Redbirds.
Valparaiso put a few runners on in the bottom half of the seventh, but senior pitcher Hannah Ross was able to get the final out of the game via a strikeout swinging and the Redbirds took game one 14-3.
BIRDS BITS (Game 2)
Offensive Highlights:
- Dayna Kennedy: 3-for-4, 2B, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R
- Delainey Bryant: 1-for-2, HR, 3 BB, 2 RBI, R
- Jayden Standish: 2-for-4, HR, RBI, 2 R
- Emme Olson: 1-for-4, 2B, RBI
Pitching Breakdown:
- Amanda Fox: 3.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 3 SO, 2 HBP
- Hannah Meshnick (W, 3-5): 4.0 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 4 SO
HOW IT HAPPENED
The second game of the day started a little rocky for the Redbirds as Valparaiso took an early lead in the bottom of the first on a bases loaded hit-by-pitch from senior pitcher Amanda Fox.
Illinois State did not let the Beacons hold the lead for long as the Redbirds plated a pair of runs in the top of the second. Senior Chloe Jefferson singled in her first at-bat of the day to lead off the inning. A bunt single from Hicks moved Jefferson to second, but a bad throw from Valpo's pitcher allowed her to end up on third. After the Beacons recorded an out, Bryant drew a walk to load the bases. Chval added to her RBI total on the day with a sacrifice fly to center field and the Redbirds evened the score at 1-1. With two outs in the inning, Olson stepped in and doubled to the gap in left center as Hicks scored to allow Illinois State to take a lead 2-1 over Valparaiso.
The Redbirds seemed to score in pairs this game as they added two more runs in the top of the third. Junior Jayden Standish notched her first hit of the day on a single up the middle. Hicks reached base safely again on a dropped fly ball by the Beacons' defense and the Redbirds had runners on the corners. Kennedy delivered a two-out double to left center that scored Standish and Hicks to give Illinois State a 4-1 advantage.
After three complete innings, freshman Hannah Meshnick entered the circle for Illinois State in relief of Fox. The first two batters she faced were quick outs, but the Beacons were able to score two runs on a pair of hits and a walk to bring the score back within one at 4-3.
Bryant continued to play hero for Illinois State as she smashed her second home run of the day, this one a two-run shot to left field, that extended the Redbirds' lead to 6-3 in the top of the sixth.
Another pair of runs for Illinois State came courtesy of Standish and Kennedy in the top of the seventh as both Redbird batters hit solo home runs, bringing the score to 8-3 with only three outs left in the game.
Meshnick issued a pair of leadoff walks in the bottom of the seventh which led to Valpo scoring two runs, but the freshman pitcher was finally able to shut down the rallying Beacons to give Illinois State its second victory of the day 8-5 over its MVC foe Valparaiso.
NOTES
- Illinois State scored 14 runs on 13 hits in the first game of the doubleheader against Valparaiso which are season highs in both runs scored and hits. Also, the Redbirds recorded a total of 13 RBI in game one which is a season high. Previously, the Redbirds had recorded 10 RBI on two occasions, 10 runs scored on two occasions, and 12 hits on two occasions.
- Illinois State has now matched its longest win-streak of the season at four games. The Redbirds have won seven of their last eight games played with the one loss to MVC rival Belmont.
- Not a single Redbird struck out in the first game of the day which has not happened since Feb. 29, 2020 against Austin Peay.
- Bryant and Chval both scored four runs in the 14-3 victory over Valparaiso. The last Redbird to score four runs in a single game was Emme Olson against Evansville on March 17, 2019.
- Chval had a career game in the first game of the day. She matched her career high in hits with three and set new career highs in runs scored (4) and RBI (4) for a single game. The senior then proceeded to collect her fifth RBI of the day as she hit a sacrifice fly in the second game against the Beacons.
- Bryant drew a career high three walks against Valparaiso in the second game of the doubleheader. She also hit her second and third home runs of the season as she went deep in each contest. Her first home run of the season was on Feb. 18, 2023 against No. 22 Arizona State. Her four runs scored in the first game of the day is also a career high in the category for a single game.
- Kennedy was 5-for-7 on the day with two doubles, a home run, a walk, five runs scored, and three RBI. Her three runs scored in the first contest of the doubleheader were a career high and her three hits in the second game tie her current career high in the category. She has had three hits on two other occasions. Kennedy also extends her on base streak to nine consecutive games.
- Olson gathered two doubles in the doubleheader action on Friday which brings her career total to 47 career doubles for the senior. She is now tied for second in program history with Heather Stella (1996-99) in career doubles and needs two to tie Kara Nelson (2007-11) at the top and three to own the record.
- Masching collected a career high in RBI and hits as she drove in three runs on three hits in the first contest of the day. Previously, two RBI and two hits were her career highs in the categories.
- Ross tossed a season-high seven strikeouts in her complete game effort against the Beacons. Her career high is eight strikeouts which came on April 19, 2022 against Bradley.
ON DECK
Illinois State (13-15, 3-1 MVC) and Valparaiso (3-20, 0-5 MVC) will finish out the series on Sunday, Mar. 26 at noon CT at the Valpo Softball Complex. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ and live stats will be available.
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