Blaine Kinsey
GoSycamores.com
ATHENS, Ga.—The Indiana State softball team (9-7) used two late rallies to sweep the first day of the Bulldog Invitational with a 10-7 win over North Dakota State before defeating Radford 9-8 in eight innings.
"We got two great team wins today," sophmore pitcher Ashli Scott said. "The defense played great behind all three pitchers and competed offensively to get key hits that kept us in both games. We capitalized on the opportunites we had today. It was a fun day to be a Sycamore."
Game One:
Despite trailing 6-2 with two outs in the top of the sixth inning, the Indiana State softball team rallied to defeat the Bison of North Dakota State 10-7.
The Bison got on the board first, taking advantage of three walks en route to scoring three runs in the bottom of the second inning.
Indiana State responded in the top of the fifth inning when sophomore Megan Stone doubled to score freshman Alexa Cavin and junior Shelby Wilson to cut the Bison lead to 3-2.
North Dakota State came back with three unearned runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to retake the lead at 6-2.
The Sycamores would not give up, however, as they rallied with two outs in the top of the sixth, scoring four runs. Junior Morgan Allee got the rally started with a base on balls and promply stole second base. Cavin then was walked bfore back-to-back singles by Wilson and Stone and a reached on error scored four runs to tie the game at 6-6.
North Dakota State did not make it easy for the Sycamores when they led off the bottom of the sixth with a single and game around to score to retake a slim 7-6 lead over the Sycamores.
Indiana State went ahead for good in the top of the seventh, scoring four runs off just one hit. Freshman Kelsey Montgomery led off the inning with a walk and was advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Allee. Cavin was then hit by a pitch before Wilson singled to score Montgomery and tie the game at 7-7. Stone then reached on an error to score Cavin and Wilson and give the Sycamores a 9-7 advantage.
Two batters later, Myers reached on an error to score Stone and give the Sycamores a 10-7 lead, one they would not give up.
Stone finished the game 2-5 with three RBI's and two runs scored while Wilson went 2-3 with two RBI's and three runs scored.
Game Two:
Despite being down to their final out, the Sycamores once again rallied to force extra innings before winning their second game of the day, this time in the form of a 9-8 win over Radford.
The Sycamores got on the board early in their second game of the day, when Allee led off the game with a single and came around to score off a Radford error on a bunt by Cavin. Indiana State plated two more runs to take a 3-0 lead over the Highlanders after a half inning of play.
In the top of the third inning, the Sycamores picked up two more runs, started with a Wilson single. Two batters later, senior Halee Myers singled to score Stone and senior Alex Lucas scored sophomore Megan Bunting to give the Sycamores a 5-1 advantage.
Radford picked up on run in the bottom of the third but the Sycamores game back in the top of the fifth keep their lead at five runs at 6-1.
The Highlanders did not go down quietly, however, as they scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth and five runs in the bottom of the sixth to take an 8-6 lead over the Sycamores heading to the top of the seventh.
With two outs in the top of the seventh the Sycamores got a rally going as freshmen Kelsey Montgomery and Paige Schreiner walked before freshman Abbie Malchow singled to score Montgomery and cut the Highlander lead to one. Allee then hit an RBI single to tie the game, forcing extra innings.
In the eighth inning, under international tie break rules, Cavin walked and both her and Allee stole second and third with no outs. Wilson then singled to score Allee giving the Sycamores a 9-8 advantage. The defense held their own in the bottom of the eigth and the Sycamores went on to win their second game of the day 9-8.
Allee finished the game 3-5 at the plate with an RBI and two runs scored and a stolen base. With her third stolen base of the day, Allee now moves into a tie for sixth place on the ISU single season stolen base list with 16, just two behind fourth.
The Sycamores will continue play in the Bulldog Classic on Saturday when they host #23 Georgia at 12:30 p.m. and Radford at 5:30 p.m.
