By Zach Wadley/ISU Athletics Media Relations
NORMAL – After being on the losing end of three walk off endings this season, the Illinois State softball team enjoyed being on the winning side Saturday as they used a three-run seventh inning to come from behind and defeat Loyola 5-4. ISU also defeated the Ramblers 10-4 in game one to snap a three-game losing streak Saturday at Marian Kneer Stadium.
Although ISU won by six in game one, it took a rally to come out the victors in that one as well. ISU jumped out to a 3-0 lead after Jordan de los Reyes hit a two-run homer in the first inning and Lindsey Greene scored on an Annie Heineman sacrifice fly in the second.
In the circle, Regan Romshek cruised through the first two innings, but ran into trouble in the top of the third. Loyola had just one hit in the first two frames, but put together three hits, two walks and also got help from an ISU error, which led to four runs scored and a 4-2 lead.
The score would stay 4-2 until the bottom of the fifth when the ISU bats came alive. Romshek led off the inning with a single and De los Reyes followed with another two-run homer, this one a no-doubter to dead centerfield. The home run tied the game and was De los Reyes’ 16th of the season, a mark that leads the Missouri Valley Conference.
Riley Strandgard followed with a double and Stephanie Gallant then singled her home to break the 4-4 tie. After Kara Repp laid down a bunt single, one of her three hits in the game, Greene stepped up and hammered a three-run home run to extend ISU’s lead to five. It was Greene’s third home run of the week and fifth of the season.
The Redbirds added one more in the sixth as Repp drove in Strandgard with an RBI single and the six runs would be more than enough for Romshek. Besides the third inning, Romshek allowed no runs and gave up just two hits.
The junior picked up her 12th win of the season, throwing all seven innings and giving up four runs on five hits while striking out two and walking three.
The Redbirds scored 10 runs on 10 hits and were led by De los Reyes and Greene. De los Reyes finished 2-3 with two runs and four RBIs while Greene was 2-3 with two runs and three RBIs.
ISU made the fans sweat it out a bit longer in game two before they made their comeback. After Sarah Finck and her counterpart, Ashley Rogers, each tossed three scoreless innings, the Redbirds broke through in the bottom of the fourth.
Gallant led off the inning with a double and Repp then traded places with her, driving Gallant in with a double of her own. Later in the inning, Repp scored on a groundout to give ISU a 2-0 advantage.
Loyola came right back in the top of the fifth with three runs of their own off of Finck. The Ramblers compiled four hits in the inning and Brooke Wyderski had the big hit, a two-RBI single that came LU the 3-2 lead.
Loyola added another in the sixth off of relief pitcher McKensie Vissering when Jamie O’Brien led off with a solo home run. It was the only mistake Vissering would make in 2 1/3 innings of work.
Down two and needing a rally in the bottom of the seventh, De los Reyes drew a one-out walk. Strandgard then followed with a two-run, game-tying homer to rightfield. It was her second of the week and seventh of the season. After the second out was made, Repp reached on a single.
Kelsey Turczyn then stepped to the plate and battled, fouling off multiple pitches to stay alive with two strikes. She finally got a pitch she could drive and sent a line drive single right back up the middle. Repp rounded second and headed for third and, as she did, the ball got past Loyola’s centerfielder which allowed Repp to head home and score the winning run.
The walk off winner was ISU’s second of the season with the other being a 1-0 victory over Mercer back in February.
Vissering picked up the win in the circle, which was her second of the season. She threw 2 1/3 innings, giving up two hits and one earned run while striking out two.
Offensively, ISU was led by Strandgard who finished 2-3 with a run and two RBIs. Repp chipped in with a 2-3 effort and she also scored twice and drove in another.
ISU is now 22-27 overall and 13-9 in the MVC. The Redbirds will finish the series with Loyola Sunday at noon. The team will also celebrate Senior Day with the ceremony taking place after Sunday’s game. A live audio broadcast of the game can be heard on WJBC.com.
