By WJBC Staff
NORMAL – Outhitting the Bears 22-14, Illinois State topped Missouri State, twice in Saturday’s doubleheader at Marian Kneer Stadium, maintaining the first place position in the Valley.
Despite a tie ballgame in the third inning, the Redbirds tacked on five unanswered runs on two home runs in game one, taking down the Bears, 7-2, with Sarah Finck going the distance for her 18th win.
Illinois State trailed by three runs in game two until a four-run fourth inning gave the Redbirds a lead that they would not give up. Morgan Christner earned her first career win in the circle with Finck taking the save as the Redbirds clinched the 5-3 victory.
The league leading Redbirds hold 16-3 MVC record, 26-17 overall with the Bears fall to 10-9 in conference, 22-18 on the season.
Game One: W, 7-2
Jordan de los Reyes led the Redbird at the plate with a 3-for-4 outing, tallying three RBIs on her 50th career home run. Alyssa Wiebel followed closely behind with two RBIs thanks to her seventh gone-ball of the season. Riley Hale, Allison Spence, and Alex Caliva also recorded multi-hit games.
Back-to-back singles by Annie Heineman and Caitlyn Daly mirrored the pair of hits in the first inning until Caliva lined an RBI-single through the right side for the 1-0 lead in the second.
Missouri State put a hit on the board in the third, but a de los Reyes – Caliva throw down caught the runner at second.
De los Reyes and Spence logged back-to-back singles for the second time in the game. Wiebel roped an RBI-double down the left line, doubling the Redbirds’ lead to two.
The Bears quickly nullified the Redbirds’ lead with a two-run home run by Bethany Sullinger, knotting the game at two. A Finck strikeout and a diving play by Heineman in center ended the threat, leaving two on base.
Illinois State responded with four runs on four hits in the bottom of the fourth to take a 6-2 lead. Caliva and Hale each tallied a single before Shannon Felde send a sac-fly to left for the first run. On a full count, de los Reyes cleared the bases with her 50th career home run to center, tacking on three runs. Riley Strandgard tallied the final hit of the inning but a popup to the third baseman ended the inning.
In the sixth, Wiebel launched her seventh home run of the season to left field, finalizing the Redbirds’ scoring at seven runs.
The Bears showed their fight in the seventh with a single but a Redbirds’ double play and line out to Caliva ended it to clinch the 7-2 win.
Finck earned her eighth win in her last nine appearances in her 19th complete game of the season. Kaitlin Beason took the loss for the Bears.
Game Two: W, 5-3
A pair of two-RBI home runs by Hale and Strangard and a Daly sac-fly led the Redbirds late-blooming offense against the Bears. Strandgard led Illinois State, going 2-for-2, while both Hale and Heineman also logged two hits at the plate.
Missouri State’s Sullinger had a notable 4-for-4 performance at the plate, scoring two of the three runs.
The Bears started strong in game two, taking a 2-0 lead on three hits and a pair of walks. Christner entered the game with two on in the first, striking out her second batter before a groundout ended the inning.
Christner fanned her first batter of the second on three pitches before de los Reyes and Heineman recorded the final two outs.
However, Missouri State was able to extend its lead on a solo-shot by Sullinger in the third.
Solid defense by the Redbirds held the Bears off in the fourth. Strandgard snagged the first out before Daly threw down to de los Reyes for the out at home.
The Redbirds’ bats finally came alive in the fourth inning to take a 4-3 lead. Wiebel drew a leadoff walk, setting the stage for Strandgard’s seventh home run of the season. Heineman put down a bunt-single to keep the inning alive before Hale roped the Redbirds’ second home run of the inning to center for a 4-3 lead.
A walk and singles by Spence and Heineman loaded the bases in the fifth. Daly sent a sac-fly to left, upping the Redbirds’ lead to two.
The Bears threatened in the seventh with a leadoff single; however, the Redbirds’ error-free defense clinched the second win of the day.
Ali Domkuski started in the circle for the Redbirds, earning the no decision. Christner tossed her first win in 4.0 innings with Finck hurling the final 2.2 innings for her second save on the year. The Bears’ starter Holly Kelley took the loss.
Illinois State and Missouri State wrap up the series on Sunday at 11 a.m. at Marian Kneer Stadium.
