NORMAL, Ill.—The University of Evansville softball team dropped its doubleheader on Saturday at Illinois State. The Redbirds shut out the Aces, 6-0, in game one at Redbird Softball Complex and then scored the winning run in the bottom of the seventh for a 3-2 victory.
Game 1
The Aces left runners on base in six innings but failed to get any home as Illinois State’s Amber Smith held the Aces to just three hits.
Illinois State put four runs on the board in the third with a walk to Jessie Buker with the bases loaded to score one and a three-run double by Casey Gorrell. The Redbirds would put up runs in the fourth and fifth en route to a 6-0 win.
Krista Price had a single in the third inning for one of the Aces’ three hits. Sophia Galati got a base hit, and Jacki Bradley had a double in the game.
Jacki Bradley took the loss for the Aces, giving up four runs on four hits and four strikeouts. McKee pitched the final three innings, giving up two runs on two hits and walking six.
Despite holding the Aces to three hits, Smith gave up six walks in the game and struck out eight Aces’ hitters.
Game 2
The second game was scoreless through five full innings, but the Aces took a 2-1 lead in the seventh before the Redbirds rallied for two runs in the bottom of the seventh to take the game, 3-2.
The Aces scored first, putting up a run in the top of the sixth inning. Price led off the inning with a double. Kristen Shirk advanced Price to third with a sacrifice bunt before Price was able to score on an error by the second baseman.
Illinois State answered with a run in the bottom half of the inning on a sacrifice fly from Katie Mathis to score Jessica Roche.
Jamie Lindauer scored the Aces’ second run on a fielding error by the shortstop with Lissa Fehlman at the plate.
Ashley Hobbs came into pitch for Bradley with two runners on and one out in the seventh. The Aces were able to get a force out to keep the bases loaded with two outs, but Michelle Anderson hit the game-winning two-run single to win the game.
The Aces put together five hits in the game. Price and Jennifer Stahlhut had doubles, while Brittany Herald, Jamie Lindauer, and Laura Rather all had base hits.
Bradley went 6.1 innings, giving up three runs on six hits. Hobbs pitched a third of an inning and gave up two hits.
The Aces and Redbirds will conclude their three-game series with a single game on Sunday at noon.
