The Sycamores dropped two close contests to league leading Illinois State on Tuesday in Terre Haute, letting a lead get away late in game one to fall 6-3 and then were edged 5-4 in the nightcap. Facing the most potent offense in the league, the Sycamore pitching staff was able to get the first nine batters out in each contest, but the Redbirds were able to adjust the second time through the line-up to get on the board in the 4th inning of each game. In game 1 - Illinois State took a 1-0 lead in the top of the 4th after their lead off batter was able to reach base on an error. She would eventually come around to score off the bat of current MVC Player of the Week Abby Olson. In the bottom of the 5th, the Sycamores would respond with Alyssa Doyle leading off the inning being hit by a pitch. Doyle advanced to 2nd with 2 outs and was driven home by a single up the middle by Amber Paz to tie the game. Fr. Kim Pierce then hit a home run to put the Sycamores ahead 3-1. The lead was short lived, however, as the Redbirds would get two more unearned runs in the top of the 6th with the help of Sycamore errors to tie the game. Then in the bottom of the 7th, the Redbirds would score three runs - all with two outs. A two out walk put the league's leading hitter - Kara Nelson - on first base. The next batter hit a high fly ball to right field that was almost caught by Pierce but ended up banging off the wall for a triple to put Illinois State ahead. Olson then hit a two run home run to right for the final 6-3 margin.
Game two started similarly to game one, with the first nine Redbirds being retired by the Sycamores. In the top of the 4th, however, Illinois State was able to explode for five runs, with the big blows coming on a three run home run by Michelle Henderson and then a solo shot by Nikki Stansell. The Sycamores would respond in the bottom of the 4th, loading the bases with one out. From there, three straight singles made the score 5-3, but ISU was unable to get any more runs across and left the bases loaded to finish the inning. So. Alyssa Marcum hit a solo home run in the bottom of the 6th to get Indiana State within one at 5-4, but the Sycamores then stranded a runner in the 6th and one in the 7th without being able to score to fall 5-4. The wins moved Illinois State to 7-0 in MVC play on the season.
Indiana State is now scheduled to play a non-conference double header in Indianapolis today against the Jaguars of IUPUI.
GO SYCAMORES!
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