CARBONDALE, Ill. –  No. 5 seed Illinois State softball fell, 4-0, to No. 1 seed Belmont in the Missouri Valley Conference Championship quarterfinals on Thursday at Charlotte West Stadium.
The Redbirds totaled two hits, stranded two runners and struck out a season-high 17 times as they suffered their third shutout this season.
BIRD BITS (vs. No. 1 Belmont)
Offensive Highlights:
Lauren Flowers: 1-for-2
Bella Atkinson: 1-for-2
Pitching Breakdown:
Paige McLeod (L, 19-6): 3.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
Hannah Meshnick: 2.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
HOW IT HAPPENED
The first eight Redbirds struck out to Belmont's Maya Johnson, the nation's leader in punchouts. The Redbirds ended their hitless streak the second time through the lineup, as Lauren Flowers led off the fourth inning with a single through the left side, and Bella Atkinson reached on a bunt single. A passed ball moved Flowers and Atkinson to second and third, but they were both stranded to keep the game scoreless.
Belmont scored the first runs of the day in the bottom of the fourth with a solo homer to left field and an RBI sacrifice fly. The Bruins tacked on two more in the sixth to make it, 4-0, and held on in the seventh to advance to the semis.
ON DECK
With the loss, the Redbirds move to the loser's bracket and will meet No. 4 seed Northern Iowa for the second time in as many days. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. CT this evening at Charlotte West Stadium. The elimination game will be broadcast on ESPN+
Yesterday's opening round game against the Panthers ended in a 7-6 thriller. After trailing, 3-0, the Redbirds used a five-run seventh inning, highlighted by a two-out, two-strike grand slam from Tatum Wolford to claim their ninth come-from-behind victory this season. The Panthers and Redbirds are 2-2 against each other this season.
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