By ISU Sports Information
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Scoring in every inning, the Illinois State softball team defeated IUPUI in five innings with Alyssa Wiebel’s three-run home run clinching the 10-1 walk-off win, in the final game of the Hilltopper Spring Fling.
Led by multi-RBI games from Kori Mesecher, Riley Hale and Wiebel, the Redbirds improve to 6-5 while the Jaguars dip to 2-10. Mesecher hit a perfect 3-for-3 while both Allison Spence, Hale, and Wiebel went 2-for-3 to lead Illinois State’s offense against the IUPUI.
Sarah Finck earned her third win in the circle for Illinois State, tossing 5.0 innings with three strikeouts. The Jaguars capitalized on a Redbird error, scoring a lone unearned run in the first inning before Illinois State put up 10 unanswered runs to earn the sixth win of the season.
Hale started the game strong for Illinois State, sailing her fifth pitch straight back for a leadoff home run.
With two outs, the Redbirds tallied three consecutive hits to take a 3-1 lead by the end of the second inning. Mesecher lined one up the middle before stealing second. Hale singled to drive home Mesecher. Wiebel struck her first career triple to center, scoring Hale before the inning ended.
In the third, IUPUI threatened with a leadoff triple, but three quick outs ended the frame.
The Redbirds picked up where they left off in the bottom of the frame as Spence singled with Stephanie Thulen coming in to run. With three runners on due to an error and walk, Mesecher sent a two-RBI single up the middle, upping the score to 5-1.
The Jaguars showed their fight in the fourth inning with a leadoff hit. After loading the bases, Illinois State escaped the jam unscathed with a trio of groundouts.
The Redbirds responded in the bottom of the frame with four consecutive hits as both Jordan de los Reyes and Caitlyn Daly drove in one run apiece, giving the Redbirds a 7-1 edge.
After three quick outs, Illinois State went back to work on offense. Mesecher knocked her third hit of the day up the middle before a walk and a wild pitch moved her to third. With two runners on, Wiebel ended the five-inning rout with a three-run gone-ball to left field, securing the 10-1 win.
The Redbirds return to the diamond at the LSU Tiger Invitational in Baton Rouge, Louisiana March 3- 5. Illinois State will face 2016 NCAA Tournament teams LSU, Illinois, Florida Atlantic, and Minnesota, in addition to Troy.
