Tampa, Fla. – The Redbirds fell in a double header of extra-inning walk-off contests on the opening day of the USF-Rawlings Tournament in Tampa, Fla. The 'Birds lost the first game against Bethune Cookman (1-1) 3-2, in the first of two nine-inning games, before falling to USF (2-0) 1-0, in a heated pitcher's duel.
Sophomore, Hannah Meeks, earned the nod in the first game, going 8.2 innings while only giving up four hits, with just two earned runs. Kaili Chval and Jayden Standish each earned an RBI in the game, but the 'Birds came up just short.
In the second game of the day, the Redbirds took on host team, USF, in its first game of the season. Sophomore, Hannah Meshnick, also went 8.2 innings while only surrendering a single hit that came in the first inning. Meshnick would go on to toss 7.2 no-hit innings, without conceding an earned run, in the eventual 1-0 defeat.
BIRDS BITS (Game 1 vs. Bethune Cookman)
Offensive Highlights:
Pitching Breakdown:
HOW IT HAPPENED
Bethune Cookman began the scoring in the second inning, jumping out to a 1-0 lead, but the 'Birds responded in the bottom of the third, on a double from Chval to score Hanna Hicks who reached on an error earlier in the inning. The 'Birds tacked on another in the fifth, on a double from Standish to score Bryant who reached scoring position on a double of her own to begin the inning.
The Redbird's bats were quieted in the remaining four innings, while the Wildcats managed to add two runs of their own. Despite a stellar performance by Meeks on the mound, the 'Birds were unable get the bats going enough to overcome the deficit.
NOTES
- Bryant notched her 100th career hit and brought her career tally to 102 hits
BIRDS BITS (Game 2 vs. USF)
Offensive Highlights:
Pitching Breakdown:
HOW IT HAPPENED
USF earned the first hit of the game in the bottom of the first but would not earn another the rest of the game. Although the Redbirds did not find green until Chval singled in the top of the fourth, they played lockdown defense to preserve the scoreless tie. Although Bryant and Wilkerson would each earn a hit later in the game, the Redbirds were unable to find the string they needed to push one across.
Meshnick pitched a lights-out performance going 8.2 innings while only surrendering one hit in the bottom of the first. She pitched 7.2 hitless innings with the only run of the game coming on a sac-fly from the runner placed on second during the extra-inning International Tiebreaker rules.
The contest was not only a pitcher's duel, but a defensive one. Stellar game saving plays came from first-year Ella Boyer in her debut as a Redbird, as well as seasoned veteran, Madi Bylak. Ultimately USF would walk-off the Redbirds in the bottom of the ninth.
NOTES
- Meshnick pitched 7.2 no-hit innings after giving up a single in the bottom of the first
ON DECK
Illinois State takes on the Michigan Wolverines tomorrow Feb.9 at 9:00 a.m. CT for the second day of the USF-Rawlings Tournament. They will close out the final day with contests against Oregon State and No. 18 Florida on Feb. 10.
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