Southern Illinois University
Illinois St
Softball Falls to Illinois State, Loses Series 2-1
03/31/2002 | 12:00:00 | Softball
March 31, 2002
Carbondale, Ill. - Abbie Scott went 3-for-4 with a double, while Katie Shifflet went 2-for-4 to lead Illinois State (13-11, 7-1) to a 5-3 come-from-behind victory over Southern Illinois (19-10, 6-2) earlier today at IAW Fields.
The win gave the Redbirds sole possession of first place in the Valley as they took the three-game series by a count of 2-1.
SIU took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning where Adie Viefhaus led off with a single to right center. Following a Tahira Saafir ground out, Katie Jordan and Kelly Creek each singled, consecutively, to drive home one run apiece. Haley Viefhaus was then hit by a pitch and Maria Damico popped up in foul territory before Jen Guenther singled home Tara Glasco who had pinch run for Creek.
Not at all phased by the SIU attack, ISU calmly narrowed the Saluki margin to 3-1 in the top of the fifth when Shifflet delivered a lead off single to center. Following Shifflet's hit, Saluki head coach Kerri Blaylock moved to replace starting hurler Renee Mueller who had pitched a solid game through four complete innings.
Amy Harre, who entered the game in in the fifth, was immediately tagged for a single by Lauren Bierwirth which moved Shifflet to second. Following both hits, a key error by shortstop Adie Viefhaus loaded the bases.
With the bases juiced and no one out, Scott hit into a fielder's choice in which third baseman Haley Viefhaus fielded and wisely threw home to get Shifflet out on the force. Another fielder's choice, this time by Cutie Taylor, then allowed Bierwirth to score an unearned run as the Redbirds pulled to within two.
ISU knotted the game at 3-3 in the top of the sixth when a two-out single by Shae Wesley scored both Katie Stake and Dominique Borba. Stake, who led off the Redbird at-bat, reached on a third error by A. Viefhaus and was moved to second on a crisp single by Borba. Shifflet then singled to right to load the bases before Wesley ripped Harre's 1-2 delivery into left field.
Deadlocked at three apiece, the Redbirds continued to pound away at the Salukis. With one away in the top of the seventh, Stake singled to center and advanced to second on a Borba walk. A Mandy Garner ground out then gave the 'Birds runners on second and third with two away.
On the next play, Shifflet hit into a fielder's choice that was scooped up by H. Viefhaus. After fielding the ball cleanly, H. Viefhaus flipped the ball to third in attempt to get Borba out on the force, but the ball bounced off Borba's back and Stake scored on the error. One more single by Bierwirth then put the final touches on the Redbirds' 5-3 win.
Harre was touched for seven hits and one earned run in just three innings as she fell to 10-6 on the season. Audra Rast picked up the win for ISU and moved to an impressive 10-2 on the year. In seven innings, Rast struck out nine batters and gave up six hits.
Offensively, ISU scattered 11 hits for the second time in the three-game set. The Salukis were led by A. Viefhaus who went 2-for-3.
SIU returns to league action on Wednesday, April 3, when it travels to Evansville, Ind., to take on the University of Evansville in a single game at 5 p.m.
