UE looks to avoid sweep on Sunday
 NORMAL, Ill. – Game one on Saturday saw Illinois State rally for a 3-2 win before the Redbirds took a 9-0 decision in game two to sweep a Missouri Valley Conference doubleheader against the University of Evansville softball team.
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Game One – ISU 3, UE 2
Saturday’s opener came right down to the wire with Illinois State hanging on for a 3-2 win. The Redbirds took a 1-0 lead when Abby Knight led the fourth inning off with a solo home run. ISU continued to reach base in the inning, loading the bags with one out. Izzy Vetter pitched out of the jam to keep the deficit at one.
Things remained that way until the sixth inning when the Purple Aces stormed back. Marah Wood hit an inside the park home run to give UE its first lead. Pinch runner Paige McAllister also scored on the play. Unfortunately, the Redbirds went right back in front as they opened the bottom half of the sixth with a double before Dayna Kennedy homered to make it a 3-2 game
Down to its final three outs, the Aces staged a rally. Mackenzie McFeron singled to lead while Jessica Fehr and Alex Barnaby walked to load the bases with one out. The Redbirds were able to buckled down and get the final two outs to seal the win. Hannah Ross took the win for ISU, allowing two runs on five hits. Izzy Vetter suffered just her sixth loss of the season, allowing three runs on six hits.
Game Two – ISU 9, UE 0
Game two saw the Redbirds break it open in the bottom half of the third with Jayden Standish hit a grand slam to turn a scoreless contest into a 4-0 game. They extended the lead even more with five runs in the fourth. Addison Masching and Emme Olson highlighted the frame with 2-run knocks to push the lead to 9-0.
Evansville had its best scoring chance in the top of the second. Marah Wood led off with a double before Haley Woolf was hit by a pitch. Following a pair of strikeouts, Mackenzie McFeron walked to load the bases, but a groundout ended the threat. Alyssa Barela added a double in the third while McFeron hit a single in the fifth; but Amanda Fox answered each time, finishing with 10 strikeouts to seal the win.
Sunday’s finale is set for a 12 p.m. first pitch.
