By ISU Sports Information
TEMPE, Ariz. – Offense was plentiful at the opening day of the Littlewood Classic as the Illinois State softball team defeated Memphis 12-3, and fell to Montana, 17-6, Friday at Arizona State in Tempe, Arizona. ISU’s record now sits at 2-5 overall.
ISU set a season-high in runs scored with 12, but also gave up a season high in runs with 17 against Montana. For the day, ISU recorded 20 hits.
Game 1 – Illinois State 12 – Memphis 3
The Redbirds scored two runs in the first inning and never looked back against the Tigers. After Annie Heineman walked to lead off the game, she came around to score on a throwing error two batters later. The error allowed Regan Romshek to reach base and she scored one batter later when Jordan de los Reyes doubled into the gap.
ISU starting pitcher Sarah Finck would take care of the rest for the Redbirds as she dominated for a complete game victory. Finck struck out nine hitters to tie a career-high and kept Memphis off the board for the first five innings. ISU’s offense was unable to score in that time span, but broke out in the sixth inning to seal the victory.
The Redbirds sent 12 batters to the plate in the inning and hit three home runs as a part of an eight run inning. Allison Spence hit the first of her career to drive in two runs and make it 4-0 ISU. Following Spence, Payton Billups and Lauren Prader each recorded a hit, which led to a Riley Hale three-run home run to make it 7-0 ISU. The home run was Hale’s first career home run.
Romshek and de los Reyes kept the hit parade moving, singling after the Hale home run. Riley Strandgard then came to the plate for the second time in the inning and clubbed a three-run homer, her first of the season.
Leading 10-0, Finck went back out to the circle in the sixth and surrendered three runs. The runs were the only blemish on Finck’s outing, but the ISU offense made sure no comeback would happen as it tacked on two more runs in the seventh courtesy of a two-RBI double from Hale.
Finck shut the Tigers down in the bottom of the seventh and picked up her second win of the season. In seven innings she allowed one earned run and six hits while striking out nine and walking none.
Hale led the ISU offense, going 3-for-4 with five RBIs and a run scored. De los Reyes chipped in with a 2-for-5 day and Strandgard finished the day 1-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs scored.
Game 2 – Montana 17 – Illinois State 6
Montana flipped the script on Illinois State in the second day of the game, setting the tone early with a run in the first inning. ISU went scoreless in the first inning and Montana put four more runs on the board in both the second and third innings.
The Griz forced ISU to use three pitchers in the first three innings and led 12-0 after three and a half innings. In the bottom of the fourth, the Redbird offense came to life thanks to a Caitlyn Daly two-run pinch hit homer. The home run was the first of Daly’s career and cut the deficit to 10.
After Romshek held Montana scoreless in the fifth, ISU responded with four more runs to avoid the run-rule for the time being. Parker Bandy led off the inning with a walk and Romshek followed with a double to put two runners in scoring position. De los Reyes then wiped the bags clean with a three-run homer, which was her third of the season. Heineman later drew a bases loaded walk to cut the deficit to six.
However, Montana posted five more runs in the sixth inning and held the Redbirds in the bottom of the frame to secure the run-rule victory, 17-6.
Romshek took the loss to fall to 0-2. ISU had eight hits in the game while Billups and Romshek each recorded two hits.
ISU is back in action Saturday with a pair of games against Montana and No. 17 Arizona State. First pitch against Montana is set for 10 a.m. CT and first pitch against Arizona State will be at 7 p.m. CT.
