ISU Drops Two On Day Two In Tampa At USF-Rawlings Tournament

TAMPA, Fla. – Day two of the USF-Rawlings Tournament held a pair of tough challenges for Illinois State, as the Redbirds dropped a walk off heartbreaker, 2-1, to Georgia Southern in the first game of the day and then dropped a 10-2 decision in six innings to No. 2 Florida in the second contest of the day at the USF Softball Stadium.

BIRDS BITS (Game 1 vs. Georgia Southern)

Offensive Highlights: 
Tatum Wolford: 1-for-2, 1 BB
Bella Wilkerson: 1-for-2, 1 BB, 1 RBI

Pitching Breakdown:
Hannah Meshnick (L, 1-1): 6.1 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
Gracelyn Kemp: 0.0 IP, 1 H, 0 

HOW IT HAPPENED
Georgia Southern jumped out to a quick lead in the bottom of the first inning on a RBI single through the right side of the infield, but the Redbirds would answer with a run of their own in the top of the second inning as Wilkerson drove in Abby Knight with an RBI single to knot the score at 1-1. The score would remain tied until the bottom of the seventh, when Georgia Southern picked up the walkoff win with an RBI single by Combs for the 2-1 victory.

BIRDS BITS (Game 2 vs. #2 Florida)

Offensive Highlights: 
Delainey Bryant: 2-for-4, 1 R
Tatum Wolford: 1-for-3, 1 2B, 1 RBI
Abby Knight: 2-for-2, 1 2B

Pitching Breakdown:
Paige McLeod (L, 0-1): 4.0 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 3 ER, 3 BB 1 K
Gracelyn Kemp: 1.2 IP, 6 IP, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB

HOW IT HAPPENED
The No. 2 ranked Gators scored one in the second, two in the third and three in the fourth to take a 6-0 lead into the fifth inning, however the Redbird battle back with two runs in the top of the fifth to cut into the deficit. Wolford doubled down the left field line to score Julia Larson for the first run of the inning, as Bryant moved to third. She would then score on a sacrifice fly by Addison Masching to make the score 6-2. Florida would answer with two more runs in the bottom half of the inning to make the score 8-2, and the scored a pair in the bottom of the sixth to end the game at 10-2 after six innings.

ON DECK
The Redbirds will wrap up play at the USF-Rawlings Tournament on Saturday at 9 a.m. CT against No. 22 Michigan.

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