Blaine Kinsey

GoSycamores.com

After falling behind 4-0 the Indiana State softball team (9-8, 0-0 MVC) began a rally in the bottom of the seventh inning but fell short as they drop their 2011 home opener to the Cougars of SIUE 4-1. 

The Cougars got on the board first as they scored the first run of the game in the top of the first inning on a past ball thrown by sophomore right handed pitcher Kristin Felker. The Sycamores got their first two runners on, however, two strikeouts and a pop out kept them from answering the Cougars and left the Sycamores down 1-0 after the first inning.

Neither team could get anymore runs across the plate until the top of the fourth inning when the Cougars used a sacrifice fly to add one more run to their total and give them a 2-0 lead over the Sycamores.

Once again, the Sycamore offense could not answer the call giving them a 2-0 deficit.

In the top of the seventh inning the Cougars once again struck as they added two more runs to give them a 4-0 lead with just a half inning left to play. This time the Sycamore offense did respond in the bottom half of the inning. Junior designated player/ pitcher Lindsey Beisser singled to center field to get the Sycamores going. After Mackenzie Connelly came in to run for Beisser, junior first baseman Bailey Wittenauer singled through the left side to advance Connelly to second.

Freshman Shelby Wilson then hit an RBI single to right field to score Connelly and put runners on first and third with just one out. Later in the inning with two outs, senior Stephanie Jonson walked to load the bases and junior catcher Alyssa Marcum came in to pinch hit for Alex Lucas. Marcum couldn't finish the run for the Sycamores as she struck out to end the game, giving the Sycamores a 4-1 loss in their 2011 home opener.

Wilson finished the game 2-4 for the Sycamores with an RBI. The Sycamores stranded 13 batters in the game.

The Sycamores will return to action Saturday when they travel to Des Moines, Iowa for their 2011 MVC opener at Drake with a double header on Saturday and the finale on Sunday.