TERRE HAUTE, IN ? It was a tough day at Price Field for the Indiana State softball team as they dropped both games of a conference doubleheader against the Redbirds of Illinois State. The Redbirds took full advantage of seven Sycamore errors in game one, taking a 12-6 victory. Indiana State regrouped for game two and kept the game close throughout seven innings but still fell short 2-1.
With a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning, the Redbirds (13-14, 3-4 MVC) went up 4-0 on the Sycamores due in part to a throwing error by Indiana State pitcher Meagan McCurdy and two RBI singles from Illinois State's Jessie Buker and Katie Mathis. The Sycamores got some momentum in the bottom of the fourth inning after Katie Armour led off the inning with a double to right center. Britt Boyer was walked and then Katie Iocoangeli singled to score Armour and advance Boyer to third. The second run from the Sycamores was unearned resulting from a Redbird error.
The Redbirds would score eight unearned runs (3 in the sixth, 5 in the seventh) because of five costly Sycamore errors. Down 12-2 in the bottom of the seventh in their final at bat, Indiana State tried to catch the Redbirds. With runners on second and third, Meredith Simpson doubled to left field to score two runs and bring her team-leading RBI total to 17. For the second time, the Redbirds made a pitching change and brought in freshman Amy Mitchell. After a Lindsey Starwalt walk, Armour sac-flied to left field to score Simpson from second. Iocoangeli finished off the scoring after she singled to center field to bring Starwalt home. The Sycamores scored four runs off of four hits in the inning but mounted their comeback a little too late.
McCurdy (5-6), who pitched her seventh complete game of the season, took the loss for the Sycamores with the win going to Illinois State's Rachel Smith (4-3).
After a convincing 12-6 defeat from the Redbirds in the first game, the Sycamores regained their composure in game two. Armour (0-7) was in the circle for all seven innings for Indiana State and Mitchell (2-2) was on the mound for the Redbirds. Singles by Kara Nelson, Amber Smith, and Buker helped the Redbirds take a 2-0 lead in the top of the third inning.
That's all the scoring the Redbirds would need as the Sycamores could only muster one run in the bottom of the fourth inning. With two outs, Iocoangeli hit her second homerun of the season, a solo shot to left field, for the Sycamores' lone run of the game. The Redbirds flew away with a 2-1 victory and a doubleheader sweep at Price Field.
Although 0-2 on the day, the Sycamores did have two players who stood out offensively. Iocoangeli had an impressive outing at bat, going two-for-four in game one and two-for-three in game two. Sophomore Audrey Childress played her best games yet, going 4-for-4 in the two games combined.
With the two conference wins today against Indiana State, the Redbirds jump the Sycamores in the MVC standings and sit in eighth place. The Sycamores drop to ninth. Indiana State will play a three-game series at Southern Illinois University this weekend with a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at noon and the third game slated for 1:00 p.m. on Sunday.
