TERRE HAUTE,
Ind. – Freshman Darcy
Wood provided a bright spot for the Sycamores during the final day
of the Wolfe Sycamore Classic. Wood struck out 15 batters en route
to a 7-5 victory over Eastern Illinois, before ISU fell to
tournament champion Northern Illinois, 14-5, in the day's final
contest. ISU now stands at 4-3 on the season.
ISU jumped all over Eastern
Illinois in the early going, juicing the bases on the first three
plate appearances of the game, when Alyssa Duncan drove in a pair
of runs with a single, and a third came across on a throwing error
during the play. Duncan was plated when Jessica McGivney drilled
her first homerun of the young campaign to stake ISU to a 5-1
advantage.
Eastern Illinois would claw its
way back into the contest, tying the score in the top of the fifth
inning at five. Duncan posted her third RBI of the game when her
sacrifice fly drove in Melissa Biniewicz before McGivney notched
her third RBI of the contest as well on a deep double to
centerfield which pushed ISU ahead 7-5. Wood struck out five of
the last six EIU batters en route to a career-high 15 punchouts.
She tossed seven innings, allowing eight hits and five runs.
McGivney was a perfect 3-of-3 at the plate with a roundtripper,
double and single.
ISU feel behind 2-0 in the
second inning against Northern Illinois, then allowed nine runs in
a third inning which saw 13 batters appear at the plate. In the
top of the fourth inning, Kelsey Anderson doubled to send Duncan
and McGivney home which inched the Sycamores closer, 11-2, but NIU
responded with three more scores in the bottom of the frame for a
14-2 advantage. ISU notched back-to-back doubles from Jackie
Chomicki and Ashley Trover which got them within 14-3, then after
a ground out, Duncan doubled to score Trover to cut the lead down
to 14-4. Duncan would score the final run of the contest to get
the Sycamores within 14-5 when
Anderson
reached on a NIU fielding error.
Wood came in to post three more
strikeouts in the final two innings versus the Huskies, recording
18 on the day.
SU returns to action with a
doubleheader at Eastern Illinois on Wednesday, March 9. First
pitch is set for 3:00 p.m. (EST).
EASTERN ILLINOIS BOX SCORE
NORTHERN ILLINOIS BOX SCORE
