Indianapolis, Ind. – Indiana State softball defeated Butler, 11-9, on Wednesday afternoon, scoring three runs in the top of the seventh to earn a comeback win over the Bulldogs.
 
The Sycamores (22-21, 10-7 MVC) finished with 11 hits in the contest while Butler (15-29, 9-6 BIG EAST) had 12 on the afternoon. The Sycamores have now won three-straight games over the Bulldogs.
 
The Action
Indiana State jumped out to an early lead in the opening frame, putting three runs on the board. Isabella Henning worked a walk followed by a Annie Tokarek single to put two runners on for Kennedy Shade who sent 2-0 pitch over the wall in right field for a three-run home run. Butler would get a run back in the bottom of the first on a RBI double, making it a 3-1 game.
 
After a leadoff double and a single in the bottom of the second, Butler would get another run across on a fielder's choice to make it 3-2 after two innings of play.
 
The Sycamores wasted little time getting that run back as Isabella Henning led off the third inning with a solo shot to right field, her team-high fifth of the season. Henning's blast made it a 4-2 contest. The Bulldogs batted around in the bottom half of the fourth, plating four runs including a two-run home run to left. The four-run frame gave Butler a 6-4 lead.
 
In the top of the fourth, the Sycamores would respond with a four-run inning of their own. Abi Chipps and Olivia Patton walked with one out and would move to third as Danielle Henning reached on a fielder's choice when the third basemen tried to make a play at third initially, making her throw to first late. With the bases loaded, Isabella Henning and Annie Tokarek drew back-to-back walks which tied the game at six apiece. Kennedy Shade followed that with a single up the middle, scoring both Henning sisters. Those were RBIs number four and five on the day for Shade to put ISU up 8-6. Butler made it 8-7 in the bottom of the fourth with a pair of singles to trim the Sycamore lead.
 
Butler would retake the lead in the bottom of the fifth, scoring a pair of runs on four hits in the inning to go up 9-8.
 
Indiana State would load the bases in the top of the sixth with singles from Danielle Henning, Annie Tokarek and Kennedy Shade, but the Bulldogs were able to escape with a 9-8 lead still intact.
 
Lauren Sackett worked a 1-2-3 bottom of the sixth, bringing up the Sycamores in the seventh needing a rally.
 
Kaylee Barrett and Abi Chipps began the inning with walks and would both come around to score on a double to left center by Danielle Henning, putting the Sycamores up 10-9. Isabella Henning then singled to right field, scoring Danielle to increase the lead to 11-9.
 
Back out in the circle for the bottom of the seventh, the Bulldogs made Sackett work for it, loading the bases with one out. She was able to get a pop up and a groundout to clinch the win and earn her fifth victory of the season.
 
The game saw eight different pitchers with Indiana State throwing Sackett, Cassi Newbanks, Lyndsi Adamson and Hailey Griffin.
 
At the plate, the Sycamores got multi-hit efforts from Danielle Henning (2-for-5), Isabella Henning (2-for-3), Annie Tokarek (2-for-4) and Kennedy Shade (3-for-4). Olivia Patton and TeAnn Bringle each had one hit.
 
Up Next
The Sycamores will host Murray State for a three-game MVC series beginning on Friday, April 21 at 3 p.m. ET at Price Field.  
 
For the latest information on Sycamore Softball, be sure to visit GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.