Evansville Recap

Indiana State went on the road over Easter weekend to play a conference series with the Evansville Aces. The Aces were coming off a huge mid week victory over MVC rival Southern Illinois, giving the Salukis their first conference loss of the season. ISU limped in the losers of nine straight contests after a promising start to the season.
Game 1 was a tight contest that saw ISU move ahead by a 2-1 score in the top of the 5th inning on a single by Fr. Kim Pierce followed by a double by Jr. Steph Jonson. Jonson was then sent home on a sacrifice fly by So. Lindsey Beisser to put ISU ahead 2-1. The score would remain that way until the bottom of the 6th, when Evansville would take advantage of a lead off walk. The Aces would use two outs to advance that runner to 3rd base, then a two out single tied the contest. After evening the game, Evansville had a pinch hit two run home run to go up 4-2 going into the final inning. The Sycamores wouldn't go away quietly in the 7th, as Pierce hit a solo home run with 1 out in the inning to make the score 4-3. The next three Sycamores would all reach base, loading the bases with 1 out. So. Stephanie Robinson then hit into a double play, as she lined a ball to the shortstop that was able to double up the runner on 3rd for the final out, as the Sycamores dropped their 10th straight, losing 4-3. The one run loss moved the Sycamores to 0-3 in one run games in conference play.
Game 2 saw ISU jump up early with a run in the top of the 1st to take a 1-0 lead. They were very close to getting two more runs, as they stranded runners at 2nd and 3rd as the Aces first baseman was able to knock down a line drive headed for the right field corner and then beat Robinson to first base to get the final out of the inning after scrambling for the ball. Evansville tied the game up in the bottom of the 3rd and then exploded for 5 runs in the 4th inning - all with two outs. The big blow came on a grand slam by Sr. Krista Price - her league leading 5th home run in conference play. The final score ended up 8-2 in favor of Evansville, dropping ISU to 0-7 in MVC play.
Sunday saw the Sycamores bounce back to win the final game of the series by a 4-2 score. ISU would again score early, this time off a two run home run in the top of the 1st by So. Bailey Wittenauer. The lead was short lived, however, as the Aces responded with two unearned runs in the bottom of the inning to tie the contest. The Sycamores would immediately respond, getting another run in the top of the 2nd to move in front 3-2. So. Lindsey Beisser pitched well for ISU, keeping the Aces from scoring again throughout the contest. The Sycamores would tack on another run in the 6th on a solo home run by Jr. Steph Jonson to make the final score 4-2 in favor of ISU. The win snapped an 11 game overall losing streak and a 7 game MVC losing streak.
GO SYCAMORES!