CHATTANOOGA – Della Gher claimed a new school record for career saves, Mallory Marsicek showed flashes of Ozzie Smith at short and Rebecca Gibbs used the long ball twice as Indiana State overpowered Tennessee State, 8-7, in six innings at the Chattanooga Challenge on a rainy Saturday afternoon.
 
The Sycamores (3-1) won their third straight game with back-to-back three-run innings in the middle of the game. In the third inning, Rebecca Gibbs hit a home run – her second of the game – with two runners on to pull ISU into a 5-5 tie. Then in the fourth inning, pinch runner Kristen Kelly scored on a Tennessee State error and two more runs came across the plate after a Bella Peterson triple down the right field line for an 8-5 lead.
 
After Tennessee State added two runs in the fifth, the Tigers came to the plate in the six looking to even the score. TSU's Bri Vire hits a sharp ground ball up the middle and Mallory Marsicek gets a break on the ball, almost too good of a break. The ball hits the second base bag and pops up in the air but behind Marsicek. Similar to the flair used by Hall of Fame shortstop Ozzie Smith, Marsicek reaches back behind her and snags the ball with her bare hand and fires to first with a throw that beats Vire by a half-step.
 
The umpires would call the game following the sixth inning of play due to deteriorating field conditions after constant rainfall in the area.
 
All of that set up Della Gher's seventh career save, setting a new school record. She passes the six saves set by Darcy Wood from 2005-09. Peyton Ottersbach (1-0) registered her first career win.
 
PLAYER OF THE GAME
While kudos definitely goes to Mallory Marsicek for her dazzling display in the field, the honor in this game goes to Rebecca Gibbs who was 2-for-3 with four RBI and two runs scored. Gibbs had never had an extra-base hit before a triple in Saturday's earlier game and she finished the day with three. Her home run in the first inning came in back-to-back fashion as Brooke Mann sent a solo shot over the wall in the at bat prior to Gibbs' first home run.
 
STAT OF THE GAME
The three home runs in the game were more than in any single game for the Sycamores last season.
 
PITCHERS OF RECORD

• Win: Peyton Ottersbach, Indiana State (1-0)
• Loss: Amanda Cabrera, Tennessee State (0-2)
• Save: Della Gher, Indiana State (2)

 
RECORDS UPDATE

• Indiana State: 3-1 (2-1 Neutral)
• Tennessee State: 0-7 (0-7 Neutral)

 
NOTABLES

• Rainfall ended Saturday's game after six innings.
• Brooke Mann's home run was the seventh dinger of her career at Indiana State, ranking 11^th all-time in school history for career home runs.
• Della Gher's seventh career save puts her alone with the all-time saves record at Indiana State.
• The Sycamores are now 7-1 all-time against Tennessee State and have won seven straight in the series. The lone loss was a 2-0 decision in 2001.
• Indiana State registered three home runs in the game, more than in any single game the Sycamores played last year.

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