EVANSVILLE, Ind. --Â The Illinois State softball team fell to Evansville, 8-7, in the series finale on Saturday evening at James & Dorothy Cooper Stadium.
The Redbirds held a 7-2 edge heading into the home half of the fifth, but six Evansville runs in the final three innings, including a four-run seventh inning, propelled the Purple Aces to complete the comeback.
BIRD BITS (Game 3)
Offensive Highlights:
Hannah Meshnick: 2-for-2, 3B, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R
Morgan Calhoun: 1-for-2, HR, 2 BB, 3 RBI, 1 R
Bella Atkinson: 1-for-2, 2B, 2 BB, 1 R
Pitching Breakdown:
Gracelyn Kemp: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 K
Hannah Meshnick: 3.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
Paige McLeod (L, 7-3): 2.0 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 3K
HOW IT HAPPENED
After a scoreless first inning, Evansville took a 1–0 lead in the bottom of the second. Illinois State evened the score in the third when Morgan Calhoun drew a bases-loaded walk.
The Redbirds broke the game open with a four-run fourth inning, highlighted by an RBI triple from Hannah Meshnick, an RBI groundout by Julia Larson and a two-run home run to left center from Calhoun.
Evansville added a run in the bottom of the fourth, but Meshnick launched a two-run bomb in the fifth to push the Redbird lead to 7–2. The Purple Aces continued to battle back, scoring once in the fifth and sixth to trim the Redbirds' advantage to three. Evansville rallied in the seventh inning, using an RBI double, a two-run home run and an error to complete the comeback and win, 8-7.
ON DECK
The Redbirds host the Iowa Hawkeyes in their home opener at 3 p.m. CT on Tuesday at Marian Kneer Stadium.
