UE hopes to take Sunday contestIllinois State picked up wins in both games of Saturday’s doubleheader against the University of Evansville at Cooper Stadium.
Game one saw the Redbirds take an 11-0 win before they finished the day with an 8-1 win in game two.
Illinois State loaded the bases with no outs to start the first game, but UE starter Emily Lockhart got out of the jam giving up just one run. The Redbirds posted two more in the second before back-to-back solo shots and another run in the third pushed their lead to 6-0. With one out in the third, Katie McLean drew a walk before Lindsay Renneisen reached on a single through the right side, but ISU was able to get out of the inning unscathed.
Over the next two innings, ISU added five more runs on their way to the 11-0 5-inning win. Morgan Day threw the complete game for ISU, allowing just one hit to Renneisen. She struck out seven. Lockhart took the loss for UE while Ashleigh Downing and Hannah Shirley also saw time in the circle.
After starting out strong in game one, the Redbirds led the second contest off with back-to-back hits. Freshman pitcher Izzy Vetter avoided damage as she recorded two quick strikeouts and a fly out to keep ISU off the board. Evansville was able to score first in the bottom of the inning. Eryn Gould laced a 1-out double to center to score Katie McLean, who led the game off with a walk.
In the top of the second, ISU got on the board with four unearned runs to take their first lead of the second game. The Redbirds threatened again in the top of the third, but right fielder Mea Adams made two excellent defensive plays, including a throw to third to get an ISU runner out to keep the deficit for UE at three runs.
Evansville threatened in the third, loading up the bases with two outs, including hits by Mea Adams and Renneisen. An infield pop-up by the Aces kept the game at 4-1. Illinois State added three more runs in the sixth frame when Emme Olson hit a bases-clearing triple to push the lead to 7-1. A solo shot in the seventh put the finishing touches on an 8-1 win. Vetter threw six innings and gave up seven runs, three of which were earned. Jaime Nurrenbern threw the 7th.
UE looks to pick up a win on Sunday when the teams meet for the final game of the series at 11 a.m. inside Cooper Stadium.
