PEORIA, Ill. – Indiana State scored 12 runs in two games and received two strong pitching outings from Kenzie Ihle and Kylie Stober as the Sycamores swept Bradley in the doubleheader on Saturday, winning 7-2 in Game One and 5-2 in Game Two.
 
Entering this weekend, both Indiana State (24-28, 8-17 MVC) and Bradley (20-32, 6-19 MVC) needed a series sweep and for Drake to get swept by Loyola in order to make the MVC Tournament. Drake ended up sweeping Loyola in their doubleheader today, clinching the eighth and final seed and thus making this the final series of the season for both the Sycamores and Braves.
 
However, that didn't stop the Sycamores from putting up a fight in both games. Game One was a dogfight early on until a Brooke Riemenschneider grand slam burst the game open and allowed Ihle and reliever Della Gher to cruise to the 7-2 victory. Game Two turned out to be more of a pitcher's duel early on, but a two-run single by Rylee Holland and a three-hit day by Shaye Barton helped lift the Sycamores to the 5-2 win.
 
"Today, we just controlled what we needed to control," Riemenschneider said. "We needed three wins, and we got two of them today. Overall it was a good, complete effort by everyone on the staff. Great day of pitching, great day of defense, great day of hitting and putting the ball in play and getting runs when we needed them. It was just a great day by everyone."
 
Despite the unfortunate outcome in Des Moines today, the Sycamores are still in the midst of an impressive season. At 24 total wins, this year's squad currently ranks tied for the seventh-best season in school history behind 1989 (31), 1986 (28), 2015 (27), 2014 (27), 1992 (26), 2006 (25) and 1995 (24).
 
"We've been through a lot this season, but I think the biggest thing is that everyone has been there for each other," Riemenschneider said. "We all do this for each other."
 
The series and season finale will take place tomorrow at noon ET.
 
Game One:
Indiana State (23-28, 7-17 MVC), 7
Bradley (20-31, 6-18 MVC), 2
WP: Kenzie Ihle (17-13)
LP: Jaelen Hull (9-6)
 
Word came in around the fifth inning that Drake had clinched the eighth and final spot for the MVC Tournament, but that didn't stop the Sycamores and Braves from duking it out hard early on before Indiana State exploded for a 7-2 victory.
 
The Sycamores struck first with a textbook first inning. Freshman Leslie Sims (1-5) led off the game with a beautiful signature bunt single, followed by a sacrifice bunt by senior Rylee Holland (1-2, SAC, BB) to set up a two-out RBI single up the middle by senior Mary Turitto (2-4, RBI) to give ISU a 1-0 lead.
 
Bradley responded in kind in the bottom half with a leadoff single by MVC all-time stolen bases leader Kelly Kapp, who stole second to setup an RBI double by Caitlyn McCarron to knot the game 1-1.
 
ISU starter Kenzie Ihle (17-13) would allow just one more hit the remainder of her six-inning start in yet another superb outing for the junior. Her final line on the day read 6.0 innings pitched, just one run on three hits allowed and three strikeouts on 133 total pitches. Her 17th victory today ranks tied for fifth in single-season history at Indiana State.
 
Freshman Becky Malchow (2-4) – who went 4-for-7 in two games at Saint Louis on Wednesday – remained hot with a leadoff single in the second. She ended up scoring on an error to give ISU a 2-1 lead.
 
Turitto and Malchow started a rally in the third with a pair of two-out singles, but it was the fourth inning when the Sycamore offense would put this game out of reach.
 
Brooke Mann led the inning off with a walk, Kassie Brown (1-3, BB) followed with a bunt single, and after a Sims fielder's choice forced Mann out at third, a Holland walk loaded the bases for senior Brooke Riemenschneider. On an 0-2 count, Riemenschneider lifted an inside pitch on her hands up into the wind and into the cornfield beyond the left field fence for a grand slam to give ISU a 6-1 lead.
 
"It was a swing that felt good, especially with two strikes," Riemenschneider said. "I was basically just looking to score runners. I just put a good swing on a good ball."
 
For Riemenschneider, it was her ninth career home run, which ranks eighth all-time in school history. She added one more for the Sycamores in the sixth on a groundout, giving her five RBI on the day and now 80 in her career – also eighth all-time in school history.
 
Also producing at the plate in Game One were Shaye Barton (2-4, SB) and Erika Crissman (1-3, BB).
 
Game Two:
Indiana State (24-28, 8-17 MVC), 5
Bradley (20-32, 6-19 MVC), 2
WP: Kylie Stober (4-14)
LP: Julie Kestas (6-10)
 
Other than a two-run home run allowed in the fifth, Game Two starter Kylie Stober (4-14) had a spectacular outing in ISU's 5-2 win. Stober went the distance, throwing 110 pitches in seven complete innings for her fifth complete game of the season but her first complete game victory.
 
It was a back-and-forth game between Stober and Bradley starter Julie Kestas, with no one scoring until the Sycamores blew the game open in the top of the fourth inning.
 
Freshman Becky Malchow (1-4, RBI) led off the inning with a single into right-center – her fourth-straight game with at least one hit. On the day she went 3-for-7, and in those last four games she is now 7-for-14.
 
Senior Rylee Holland (1-4, 2 RBI) ignited the fuse, knocking in two Sycamores on a two-run single up the middle to score Brooke Mann and Kassie Brown (2-3, SB). Immediately afterward, an RBI single by Shaye Barton brought in Erika Crissman to quickly make it a 3-0 game that the Sycamores would never relinquish back to the Braves.
 
Barton had a huge day, going 3-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base in Game Two, including her second triple of the season in the first inning. Across both games, Barton went 5-for-7.
 
She also started a rally in the seventh inning to add some insurance runs for Stober with a leadoff single into right field, followed by a bunt single by Brooke Riemenschneider (1-2, 2 BB). Mary Turitto laid down a sacrifice and Malchow brought in Barton on an RBI groundout before an RBI single by Gabi Carter (1-4) gave ISU its fifth and final run.
 
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.