TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State put together an exciting comeback win in extra innings before falling in the second game of a doubleheader against Northern Iowa on Saturday.
 
The Sycamores (14-13, 1-4 MVC) trailed UNI (15-12, 3-2 MVC) by two runs heading into the bottom of the seventh, but ISU mounted a comeback to tie the game and eventually take the win in the bottom of the eighth – thanks in part to a tremendous nine-inning complete game victory by starting pitcher Kenzie Ihle.
 
The Sycamores got a similarly strong start out of Kylie Stober in the second game, who also threw a complete game, but ISU fell in a tight 4-3 loss on the hot bats of the Panthers.
 
ISU and UNI will conclude the series tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. Fans can watch live on ESPN3.
 
Game One (9 innings):
Indiana State (14-12, 1-3 MVC), 5
Northern Iowa (14-12, 2-2 MVC), 4
WP: Kenzie Ihle (11-7)
LP: Jaci Spencer (5-5)
 
A Herculean complete game effort out of starting pitcher Kenzie Ihle and some late-inning theatrics lifted Indiana State to a 5-4 win over UNI in nine innings in the first game of the doubleheader.
 
Ihle went the distance – all nine innings – keeping the Sycamores within striking distance, even after a somewhat rocky start.
 
UNI jumped out to a 2-0 lead with only one out in the game on a two-run homer by Macey Wolfe. Ihle immediately regained her composure with a groundout and strikeout to end the inning – a motif for Ihle all day long. She allowed one unearned in the second, the last run in the game until the Sycamore bats came alive in the bottom of the fifth.
 
Freshman Becky Malchow started it off with a slap single through the left side, which set up an RBI double by Erika Crissman (2-4, 2B, RBI) over the left fielder's head to bring Malchow in. Freshman Leslie Sims (4-4, SB) moved Crissman over to third on one of her four infield singles on the day, and she then immediately stole second base – her 14th steal of the season. Senior and Preseason All-MVC shortstop Kassie Brown (2-3, RBI, SB) brought Crissman in on an RBI bunt single to make the game 3-2.
 
From the second inning onward, Ihle only gave up one hit before the sixth inning when UNI knocked two hits – including an RBI single by UNI's Sammey Bunch to push the Panther lead to 4-2. Like she had earlier, Ihle regrouped and locked in – this time for good, as UNI would record a hit the rest of the way.
 
Down to their final two outs, the Sycamores received a jumpstart from Shaye Barton (2-3, SAC) on a frozen-rope single into right field. Sims laid down another bunt single and advanced to third on an error by the shortstop, putting two ducks on the pond for the Sycamores with just one out. An infield single by Bailey Martin (1-5, 2 RBI) and a costly throwing error by UNI brought both Barton and Sims in to tie the game 4-4 to force extras.
 
Indiana State didn't waste any time in the ninth inning in going for the win, with Crissman starting off the rally with an infield single to shortstop. Barton laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Crissman over, and Sims came through again with a crucial bunt single to make it a first-and-third situation for Bailey Martin.
 
On the first pitch, Martin knocked a grounder to second, who threw high at home as Crissman collided with the catcher for the winning run.
 
Ihle finished with the nine-inning win at a line of five hits, four runs (three earned), five strikeouts and five walks on 147 pitches.
 
Game Two:
Northern Iowa (15-12, 3-2 MVC), 4
Indiana State (14-13, 1-4 MVC), 3
WP: Bailey Lange (4-6)
LP: Kylie Stober (1-5)
 
Saturday was a day of strong pitching performances, as each starter in both games went the distance. Game Two was a similarly tight matchup between UNI's Bailey Lange and ISU's Kylie Stober, with the Panthers prevailing this time on a solo home run in the fifth and a shutdown performance to close out.
 
This was the second complete game for Stober this season, who also fell in ISU's close 1-0 loss to Louisville on Feb. 12 at UNLV. Stober opened with two scoreless as the Sycamores jumped out to a 1-0 lead on an RBI sacrifice fly by senior Mary Turitto (1-3, 2 RBI, SF).
 
In the top of the third Stober opened with two walks, but battled back with a strikeout and a fielder's choice grounder to push the runners to second and third with two outs. UNI's Ashley Chesser (2-3, 2B, HR, 3 RBI) got the first of her two key hits, a two-RBI double off the left field wall to give UNI a 2-1 lead. Stober worked the next batter, the pitcher Bailey Lange, to a full count before giving up an RBI triple down the right field line to make the game 3-1.
 
The Sycamores responded in kind, though, in the bottom half with a two-run rally to tie the game 3-3. Bailey Martin drew the first of her two walks and was sacrificed over to second by Kassie Brown. Mary Turitto knocked Martin in on an RBI single into centerfield, which set up an RBI single by Rylee Holland (1-2, RBI, BB) to tie the game.
 
Chesser, though, came through big again for the Panthers in the top of the fifth with a deep home run over the centerfield wall for the deciding run as Lange held the Sycamores to just one hit the remainder of the game.
 
For the latest information on the Sycamore Softball team, make sure to check out GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media including Facebook and Twitter.