TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Brooke Mann hit her fourth home run of the season but Indiana State couldn't dig out of an ever-growing hole in an 8-1 loss to Illinois State in the opening game of a three-game Missouri Valley Conference series at Price Field Saturday.
 
Mann's home run – her fourth of the season and 14^th of her career – gave the Sycamores (11-14, 1-3) their only run of the game with a solo shot off the top of the scoreboard in right field in the fifth inning.
 
The visiting Redbirds (10-20, 4-0) extended their streak as the only unbeaten team in Valley play by getting off to a quick start as Allison Spence, who led all players with a 3-for-4 performance at the plate two runs scored, recorded her first of three game-leading RBI in the first with a one-out single to right.
 
In the third, Illinois State added three runs thanks to a three-run home run to left by Ellie Weltha. The following inning, Shannon Felde singled up the middle to plate a run before Spence drove in two runs with a double to center followed by an RBI double by Weltha in the next at bat.
 
Gabbi Schnaiter (5-5) was charged with the loss after allowing six runs on seven hits in 3.1 innings, striking out two and walking one. Peyton Ottersbach tossed the final 3.2 innings, allowing two runs on three hits.
 
Morgan Day (5-9) went the distance for Illinois State, allowing five hits and no walks while striking out nine.
 
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Brooke Mann claims the honor as her solo home run marked her fourth dinger of the season and 14^th of her career.
 
STAT OF THE GAME
With her 14^th career home run – a solo shot to right in the fifth inning – Brooke Mann has now tied Stacey Sparger (2000-03) for fourth all-time in Indiana State history in career home runs.
 
PITCHERS OF RECORD

• Win: Morgan Day, Illinois State (5-9)
• Loss: Gabbi Schnaiter, Indiana State (5-5)
• Save: None

RECORDS UPDATE

• Indiana State: 11-14 (1-3 MVC)
• Illinois State: 10-20 (4-0 MVC)

NOTABLES

• Indiana State falls to 15-84 all-time against Illinois State.
• Brooke Mann's solo home run in the fifth inning marked her fourth home run of the season, a mark that leads the team.
• Mann's dinger also marked her 14^th career home run, moving her into a tie for fourth all-time at Indiana State alongside Stacey Sparger (2000-03). She needs only one more home run to tie Bailey Witternauer (2009-11) for third all-time.
• Becky Malchow's 2-for-2 performance marked her fourth multi-hit game of the season.

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, Twitter and Instagram.