PEORIA, Ill. – Illinois State softball (19-15, 9-1 MVC) has won 10 in a row after completing a doubleheader sweep of Bradley (10-28, 2-9) as the Redbirds defeated the Braves 3-0 and 6-3 in a pair of games on Wednesday.
BIRDS BITS (Game 1)
Offensive Highlights:
Pitching Breakdown:
HOW IT HAPPENED
Illinois State got the offense going in the top of the first as senior Kaili Chval and fifth-year senior Emme Olson knocked back-to-back singles, but both were left stranded.
The Redbirds were able to score first as Olson led off the top of the third with a single and sophomore Abby Knight followed with a single of her own. A sacrifice bunt by sophomore Addison Masching moved both runners into scoring position for junior Jayden Standish. Standish then knocked an RBI single and freshman Abby Horton scored who had entered to pinch run for Olson. Illinois State led 1-0 after two and a half innings.
The Redbirds pushed another run across in the top of the fourth as Chval singled and moved sophomore Delainey Bryant over to third who had reached on a fielder's choice earlier in the tinning. Olson grounded out to the shortstop and Bryant crossed the plate to give Illinois State a 2-0 lead.
For a third consecutive inning, Illinois State was able to plate a run. Standish reached base safely on an error by the Braves' second baseman and advanced to second. Senior Chloe Jefferson followed Standish with a double and Standish moved to third. Senior Braid LaFountaine was able to bring Standish home on a sacrifice fly to shallow right field.
Senior pitcher Hannah Ross kept the Braves' offense in check all game as she only allowed two hits through seven innings pitched and struck out 11 batters.
Illinois State held on to beat Bradley 3-0 in the first game of the day.
BIRDS BITS (Game 2)
Offensive Highlights:
Pitching Breakdown:
- Amanda Fox (W, 4-2): 4.0 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, SO
- Hannah Meshnick (SV): 3.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO
HOW IT HAPPENED
After a quite first inning from both squads, the Braves were able to push their first run of the day across in the bottom of the second. A single and an error allowed the Bradley batter to end up on third and double brought the runner in. The Braves led 1-0 after two complete.
Bradley scored again in the bottom of the fourth as the Braves drew a leadoff walk followed by a single and another walk to load the bases. Senior Amanda Fox was able to get a fly out to center and a strike out looking with the bases loaded to have two outs in the inning, but then issued her third walk to bring in another run for the Braves. Bradley held a 2-0 lead over the Redbirds.
Illinois State found its offense in the top of the fifth. The first batter of the inning for the Redbirds flew out to center for the first out, but Jefferson then smashed her fifth home run of the season to break the shutout and put Illinois State on the board. Another fly out gave Bradley two outs in the inning, but that did not stop the Redbirds. Sophomore Bella Wilkerson entered to pinch hit for senior Dayna Kennedy and singled back up the middle. Bryant knocked a hit and collected an RBI as Wilkerson scored to tie the game at 2-2. A walk to Chval put two on for Olson who then proceeded to blast a three-run home run to take the lead for Illinois State. The Redbirds were on top 5-2 after four and a half innings of play.
Freshman Hannah Meshnick entered in relief of Fox in the bottom of the fifth and went three up, three down with three consecutive ground outs.
A pair of leadoff singles in the top of the sixth by Standish and Jefferson forced a pitching change for the Braves. A sacrifice bunt by LaFountaine moved the runners into scoring position. Another productive out came from Wilkerson as she hit a pop up in foul territory, but no one was covering home and Standish scored to bring Illinois State's lead to 6-2.
A leadoff walk in the bottom of the seventh led to another run being scored for Bradley. The runner advanced to second on a passed ball and a two-out double scored the runner from second. Meshnick then got a fly out to center field to end the game and lead the Redbirds to their second victory of the day over the Braves.
NOTES
- Illinois State softball has now won 10 games in a row and the Redbirds have won 14 of their last 15 games. Illinois State has improved 19-15 on the season and 9-1 in conference as they head into a weekend series with Missouri State.
- Olson hit another huge milestone in the first game of the doubleheader as the fifth-year senior started in her 200th game of her career. She has started and played in every game possible in her collegiate career at Illinois State, which is now 201 games after the second game of the day.
- Olson is also on her way to 200 career hits. She currently sits at 198. She is also one double shy of tying the program record for career doubles and two doubles away from breaking the record.
- Ross had a career game against the Braves as she fanned a career-high 11 batters. Her previous career high was eight strikeouts which also came against the Braves last season (4/19/22).
ON DECK
Illinois State (19-15, 9-1) returns home to host Missouri State (18-15, 9-2) for a three-game weekend series beginning on Friday, April 7 at 5 p.m. CT at Marian Kneer Stadium.
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