VALPARAISO, Ind. – Illinois State (14-15, 4-1 MVC) scored 15 runs in the series finale against Valparaiso (3-21, 0-6 MVC) as freshman pitcher Hannah Meeks tossed a one-hit, complete game shutout to sweep the Beacons on Sunday.
The Redbirds' offensive outburst started with a big second inning as Illinois State scored 13 of its 15 runs in the top of the second. The 'Birds had 11 hits in the inning and at one point had seven consecutive singles. Meeks threw a gem in the circle as she only allowed one hit through five innings and faced one over the minimum while striking out two.
BIRDS BITS
Offensive Highlights:
- Dayna Kennedy: 2-for-3, HR, 4 RBI, 2 R
- Delainey Bryant: 2-for-2, HR, 2 BB, RBI, 2 R
- Kaili Chval: 2-for-3, 2 RBI, R
- Abby Horton: 1-for-1, 2 RBI
- Addison Masching: 2-for-4, RBI, 3 R, SB
Pitching Breakdown:
HOW IT HAPPENED
It was a quiet first inning for both squads as sophomore Delainey Bryant drew a leadoff walk, but the Beacons got three consecutive outs to strand her on second. Freshman Hannah Meeks opened the bottom half of the inning by retiring the Valparaiso batters in order.
The second inning was not quiet as the Redbirds put up a crooked number. Sophomore Addison Masching led off the inning with a single through the right side and junior Jayden Standish got hit by a pitch in the next at-bat. Senior Chloe Jefferson was the first out of the inning as she moved the runners to second and third on a sacrifice bunt and the second out came on a sacrifice fly from junior Hanna Hicks that gave the Redbirds a 1-0 lead.
With two outs in the top of the second, senior Dayna Kennedy stepped in for her first at-bat of the day with Standish on third and the Redbirds with a 1-0 lead. Kennedy singled through the left side to begin a chain of seven consecutive singles and Standish scored. Bryant followed with another single, but ended up on second as the Beacons' left fielder made an error and Kennedy went to third. Both runners scored on the third consecutive single by senior Kaili Chval. Fifth-year senior Emme Olson had the fourth single in a row to put runners on the corners and force a pitching change for the Beacons.
The pitching change did not faze the Redbird hitters as sophomore Abby Knight singled to center and Chval came around to score, making it 5-0. The lineup turned over as Masching came up to bat for the second time in the second inning. She continued the chain of singles as Olson scored and Knight moved up to third. The seventh single of the inning came off the bat of Standish who had scored earlier in the inning and Knight crossed home plate to make it 7-0 in favor of Illinois State.
Still with two outs in the inning, Jefferson reached safely on a fielding error and both Standish and Masching scored to put the 'Birds in run-rule territory as they led 9-0. Another pitching change ensued as the Beacons' starting pitched reentered to face Hicks who drew a four pitch walk which then forced the third pitching change in the inning as a new pitcher entered for Valparaiso.
Kennedy was now up for the second time this inning after starting the seven consecutive singles and collecting an RBI. She continued to stay hot as she blasted a three-run home run over the wall in left field to extend the Redbirds' lead to 12-0. The 13th run of the inning came courtesy of Bryant as she hit a solo home run following Kennedy's three-run shot and forced yet another pitching change.
As the Redbirds faced the fourth different Beacons' pitcher of the inning, Chval singled up the middle, but a pop up to the shortstop by Olson finally ended the Redbirds' 13-0 rally in the second.
Meeks gave up her only hit of the game in the bottom of the second as Valparaiso led off the inning with a double down the left field line, but she was able to get three quick outs in the form of two pop ups and a fly out.
The Redbirds put another pair of runs on the board in the top of the fifth as Olson led off the inning with a single to right field and sophomore Emma Hicks entered to pinch run. Masching reached on fielder's choice and Hicks was safe at second as the Beacons' second baseman attempted to apply a tag to Hicks in the basepath without the ball in her glove. Freshman Abby Horton, who had entered to pinch run for Jefferson in the fourth inning, remained in the game as the designated player and got her first career at-bat. A wild pitch put two runners in scoring position for Horton and she delivered with a two-out, two-RBI single up the middle to bring the Redbirds' to 15-0.
After giving up the lone hit in the second inning, Meeks retired the final 12 batters in a row to earn another victory in the circle and extend Illinois State's win streak to five games.
NOTES
- Illinois State scored 13 runs in the second inning of the series finale against Valparaiso. All those runs were also scored with two outs in the inning and there were seven consecutive singles that scored six runs as well as back-to-back home runs that accounted for four runs.
- The Redbirds 15 runs scored and 14 hits are both season highs for the team. Illinois State's 13 runs batted in in the third game of the series ties a team season high in the category which was previously set in the first game of the series against Valparaiso.
- Every player in the Redbirds' starting lineup scored at least one run just in the second inning. Bryant, Masching, Standish, and Kennedy scored two runs each in the second inning.
- Meeks tossed her second one-hitter of the season and her career. Her first one-hitter was another five-inning, complete game shutout against Jacksonville State on Feb. 25, 2023. She gave up two walks and picked up two strikeouts in that outing. She gave up no walks in her second one-hitter against Valparaiso and picked up another pair of strikeouts across her five innings pitched. Her earned run average now stands at 2.80 which is second best on the team and she leads the Redbirds' pitching staff with a six wins in the circle.
- Kennedy's three-run home run in her second at-bat of the second inning was the 20th of her career and her fourth this season. She is currently tied with Jefferson and Bryant for the team lead in home runs.
- Bryant went deep for a third time this weekend and a fourth time this season. She is tied with Kennedy and Jefferson for the team lead in home runs at four. The First Team All-MVC selection from a season ago is off to a hot start in Valley play as she is currently batting .438 across five games with a double, three home runs, and six walks drawn.
- Horton got her first career at-bat in the Redbirds 15-0 victory and she did not disappoint. Horton smacked a single up the middle for her first career hit and first career RBI as she drove in two runs as well. Horton has mainly been used as a pinch runner this season.
- Olson added a pair of hits against the Beacons in today's contest which brings her to 191 career hits. She is eight hits away from joining the 200 hit club and would only be the seventh Redbird since 1978 to collect 200+ hits over her career. She is also two doubles away from tying the all-time program record for career doubles.
ON DECK
Illinois State (14-15, 4-1 MVC) returns home to host the UIC Flames (0-28, 0-6 MVC) for a three-game weekend series on Mar. 31-Apr. 2 at Marian Kneer Stadium.
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