Blaine Kinsey
GoSycamores.com
Despite splitting a double header Saturday against the Purple Aces of Evansville at Price Field, the Indiana State softball team (12-19, 3-8 MVC) could not get past the Aces (9-28, 3-9 MVC) on Sunday as they fell 14-4 in five innings giving the Aces the Series win 2-1.
The Sycamores threatened early as freshman center fielder Alex Baumgart singled to left field before junior second baseman Stephanie Robinson sacrificed to advance Baumgart to second. Junior first baseman Bailey Wittenauer then singled through the right side to give the Sycamores a 1-0 lead after the first inning.
The Sycamores then added one more run to their lead in the bottom of the second inning when freshman designated player Steviee Grove singled through the left side and was advanced to second on a sacrifice by junior right fielder Hailey Tinsman. Freshman Shelby Wilson then singled to center field to score Grove and make it a 2-0 Sycamores lead.
The lead would not last for long, however, as in the top of the third inning the Purple Aces put up five runs in the top of the third inning to take a 5-2 lead. The Aces scored five runs off two hits and four base on balls as they batted around to pull ahead of the Sycamores.
The Aces did not stop there as they added three more runs in the top of the fourth inning to make it an 8-2 lead over the Sycamores.
The Sycamores tried to respond in the bottom of the fourth inning as Tinsman and Wilson both reached on errors before Robinson advanced both runners with a single up the middle to load the bases with two outs. Wittenauer then hit a two RBI single through the left side to score Tinsman and and Wilson and to cut the Aces lead to 8-4.
However, the Aces continued scoring on offense as they scored six runs in the top of the fifth inning off two singles, two walks and a three-run home run to make it 14-4. The Sycamores could not respond in the bottom of the fifth inning, ending the game due to the eight-run rule by a final score of 14-4.
Wittenauer finished the game 2-2 at the plate with three RBI's for the Sycamores.
The Sycamores will return to action Wednesday when they will host the Jaguars of IUPUI at Price Field in a double header beginning at 2 p.m.
