NORMAL, Ill. – Fifth-year senior Emme Olson collected her 50th career double in the fifth inning to be the new all-time career doubles leader for Illinois State (25-19, 14-5 MVC) as the Redbirds dropped the second game of the series 5-3 to UNI (29-11, 18-1 MVC).
Olson ended the 2022 season at fifth in program history with 40 career doubles after she notched 16 doubles last season to also sit at fifth in program history in single-season doubles. When she decided to take her fifth season at Illinois State, she was only nine doubles away from tying Kara Nelson (2007-11), a teammate of her sister Abby Olson, for the program record in the category. Her 10th double of the season would secure her spot as the all-time career doubles leader for the Redbirds, and Olson recorded her 10th double of the season in today's contest versus UNI. Olson now sits at 50 career doubles and the Redbirds have seven regular season games left to play.
BIRDS BITS
Offensive Highlights:
Pitching Breakdown:
- Hannah Meshnick: 4.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 6 BB, 4 SO, 2 WP
- Amanda Fox (L, 4-3): 2.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, HBP
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Redbirds jumped out to an early lead again in game two of the series with UNI. Sophomore Delainey Bryant led off the first inning with a single to left field. A sacrifice bunt moved Bryant into scoring position and with two outs in the inning, sophomore Abby Knight dropped a single into right field, scoring Bryant from second. Illinois State led 1-0 after the first inning.
The Panthers put two runners on in each of the first four innings, but freshman pitcher Hannah Meshnick and the Redbirds' defense left the runners stranded to keep the lead at 1-0 through four complete innings.
The top of fifth was a different story for UNI as the Panthers drew a pair of one-out walks to put two runners on yet again, but a double down the left field line tied the game at 1-1 and left two runners in scoring position. The third walk of the inning loaded the bases for UNI and senior Amanda Fox entered in relief of Meshnick with one out and bases full of Panthers. Fox got another out on a deep fly ball, but the runner on third tagged and scored to take the lead. Another fly out ended the inning with the Panthers up 2-1.
The Redbirds did not let the Panther lead last long. Senior Dayna Kennedy led off the bottom of the fifth with a double to the gap in left center and freshman Abby Horton entered to pinch run. Bryant drew a walk and Horton was able to advance to third on a wild pitch. With runners on the corners, senior Kaili Chval almost beat out an infield single, but she was called out upon review of the play, so the Redbirds had second and third with one out. Fifth-year senior Emme Olson stepped into the box and drove a two-RBI double down the right field line to regain the lead for the Redbirds. Illinois State held a 3-2 lead heading into the sixth.
A hit-by-pitch, a walk and an infield single led to a bases loaded jam for the Redbirds in the top of the sixth with no outs. A sacrifice fly scored the runner on third to tie the game at 3-3, but the damage was limited as a pair of groundouts ended the inning, keeping the score even.
Sophomore Addison Masching reached safely on a throwing error by the shortstop in the bottom of the sixth, but Illinois State was unable to capitalize.
UNI led off the top of the seventh with a single, but momentum seemed to swing towards the Redbirds as the runner was erased on a caught stealing from Kennedy to Bryant for the first out of the inning. That did not faze the Panthers as they were able to draw a one out walk, but Fox came right back to get a fly out for the second out of the inning. Illinois State was an out away from heading into the bottom of the seventh with a tie game, but the Panthers hit a two-run home run to center field, making it 5-3.
The Redbirds had the top of the order due up in the bottom of the seventh, needing two runs to tie and three runs to walk it off. A pair of groundouts made two quick outs for UNI with Olson stepping up to the plate. Olson singled through the left side for her second hit of the day, but Knight grounded out to the shortstop to end another close battle between two of the top teams in the conference.
ON DECK
Illinois State (25-19, 14-5 MVC) will finish the series against UNI (29-11, 18-1) on Sunday, Apr. 23 at Marian Kneer Stadium at noon CT.
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