May 20, 2006
IOWA CITY, IA – Illinois State scored three early runs via the long ball and held on for a 3-2 win over Iowa at Pearl Field Saturday afternoon. The Redbirds advance to play Nebraska in an elimination game tonight at 7 p.m. (CDT). The loss ends Iowa’s season with a record of 39-22.
Randi Patton got Illinois State (38-15) on the board in the top of the first when she hit her eighth homerun of the year over the right field fence to give the Redbirds a 1-0 lead.
Illinois State added two more runs in the top of the fourth when Kelsey Warning blasted her ninth deep fly of the year to center field to increase its lead to 3-0. Warning finished the game 2-for-3 with two RBI.
The Hawkeyes scored its first runs of the regionals in the bottom of the sixth ending a 15 2/3 inning scoreless drought. Summer Downs came through with a two-out RBI double to left center to score Erin Riemersma to shave the Iowa deficit to 3-1. After a Kylie Murray single, Mindy Heidgerken singled down the left field line, which plated pinch runner Callie Adreon to cut the Redbird advantage to 3-2. Illinois State pitcher Stacy Birk got Sami Baugh to ground out to second to end the inning. Heidgerken finished the game 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Birk allowed a two-out Stacy May single in the seventh inning before getting Riemersma to foul out to conclude the game. The junior yielded seven Hawkeye hits, while striking out two in collecting her 22nd victory of the season.
Hawkeye pitcher Brittany Weil allowed three runs on six hits, while striking out four in suffering her 16th setback.
Iowa had a runner in scoring position in the third, fourth and fifth innings – all with two outs, but were unable to register the clutch hit.
Today’s win is Illinois State’s first win over Iowa this season after dropping 9-3 and 10-2 decisions at the Arizona State Tournament in mid-February.
GAME SUMMARYILLINOIS STATE 100 200 0 -- 3 6 1IOWA 000 002 0 -- 2 7 0WP - Birk(22-10)LP - Weil (27-16)LOB - ISU (6); IOWA (6)