VALPARAISO, Ind. – For Indiana State, the comeback was nearly complete. Rallying back from a 5-1 deficit with a five-run seventh inning, the Sycamores had a 6-5 lead before Valparaiso notched their second walk off win in a row in a 7-6 decision Friday afternoon at Valparaiso.
 
The Sycamores (14-28, 2-15 Missouri Valley) stumbled to start but regrouped quickly. Arielle Blankenship entered the game in the second inning and allowed a walk and a Sycamore error – one of three miscues on the day for Indiana State – before finding her groove and retiring 13 consecutive Crusader batters.
 
While Blankenship sat down the Crusaders (14-22, 3-14), the Sycamores began to threaten. Runners left aboard in the third and fourth would finally breakthrough in the fifth as Mallory Marsicek used an infield double – thanks to strong, swirling winds – and a pair of wild pitches to score.
 
Two innings later, a lead off error by Becky Malchow would start the rally. Leslie Sims would lay a bunt single down to put two on before Shaye Barton's double drove in both Malchow and Sims to cut Valpo's lead to 5-3. Barton would be driven in two batters later when Brooke Mann singled up the middle. Following an Olivia Patton single to load the bases, Mallory Marsicek put the Sycamores ahead for the first time in the game with a single to left, driving in two runs and giving ISU the 6-5 lead.
 
But the magic seemingly wore off in the seventh inning. Valpo registered back-to-back hits – a single followed by a double – tied the game and put a runner in scoring position. Following a groundout, Taylor Herschbach singled through the left side to drive in the winning run.
 
Blankenship (6-8) was charged with the loss in a career-long 5.1 inning outing, allowing two runs on three hits with three strikeouts.
 
Jenna Edwards (6-12) went the distance for Valparaiso, allowing two earned runs (six overall) on nine hits with five walks and eight strikeouts. Carley Trepanier led the Crusaders at the plate with a 2-for-3 performance with two RBI and two runs scored.
 
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Despite getting charged with the loss, we'd be remiss without recognizing the performance of Arielle Blankenship. Entering in the second inning, she immediately struck out the first batter face. Following a Valpo batter reaching on an error and a walk, Blankenship then retired the next 13 batters – a streak that included three strikeouts.
 
STAT OF THE GAME
Arielle Blankenship retired a career-high 13 consecutive batters in the game starting with a line out in the second inning and going all the way through the sixth inning.
 
PITCHERS OF RECORD

• Win: Jenna Edwards, Valparaiso (6-12)
• Loss: Arielle Blankenship, Indiana State (6-8)
• Save: None

RECORDS UPDATE

• Indiana State: 14-28 (2-15 MVC)
• Valparaiso: 14-22 (3-14 MVC)

NOTABLES

• Indiana State is now 11-3 all-time against Valparaiso. Friday's game marked the first time the two teams had played in Valparaiso.
• Brooke Mann threw out her 14^th runner attempting to steal this season. That mark ranks second in the Missouri Valley Conference this season and is one shy of a season-high and school record for Mann, a mark she hit in 2017 with 15 runners caught stealing bases.
• Leslie Sims stole her 72^nd career base with a swipe in the first inning. That moves her into a tie for fifth all-time in Missouri Valley Conference history alongside Creighton's Shelly Esser (1992-95).
• With the five-run seventh inning, Indiana State marked the sixth time this season the Sycamores have scored four or more runs in a single inning. Friday's contest marked the first time ISU had not won in one of those games.

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.