Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 Blaine Kinsey
GoSycamores.com
TERRE HAUTE, Ind.—The Indiana State Softball Team extended its win streak in home openers to five as it split a doubleheader with Bradley Sunday at Price Field in the Missouri Valley Conference opener for both squads.
GAME ONE
In the first game of the day, the Sycamores jumped out to an early 10-1 lead after two innings and held on in extra innings to defeat Bradley 14-13 for their fifth straight home opening victory.
The Sycamores got started early, in the bottom of the first inning as senior Kelsey Montgomery drew a leadoff walk and came around to score on a fielding error by Bradley. Freshman Shaye Barton then hit a triple to score Crissman and make it 2-0.
Junior Brooke Riemenschneider then made it 3-0 when she hit her first home run of the season to deep left field.
Bradley answered with one in the top of the second before the Sycamores struck once again in the bottom half of the frame.
After senior Abbie Malchow was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, junior Kassie Brown hit a bunt single and before Montgomery drew a walk to load the bases. Junior Rylee Holland then hit a bunt single and advanced to second on the throw, scoring Malchow and Brown.
The very next batter, junior Erika Crissman, singled up the middle to score Montgomery and Holland and to give the Sycamores a 8-1 advantage. The Sycamores kept the inning going as a single by Barton and fielding error by the Braves gave Indiana State a 10-1 lead after two innings.
Bradley kept chipping away at the Sycamore lead and cut the lead to 10-9, heading to the bottom of the 6th.
Indiana State responded, as Barton led off with a single before senior Mallory Schneid reached on a bunt single to put runners at first and second with no outs. Freshman Monqiue Castillo then moved both runners into scoring position on a sacrifice.
Two batters later, Brown reached on a Braves fielding error that scored Barton before stealing second. On the steal attempt, the Braves threw the ball away, scoring both Brown and Schneid to make it a 13-9 lead.
Bradley again answered in the top of the 7th, score four runs to forced extra innings. After holding Bradley scoreless in the top of the 8th, Malchow hit a two out double to score Barton and give the Sycamores the 14-13 victory in eight innings.
GAME TWO
Despite holding a lead early, the Braves used a huge sixth inning to move past the Sycamores in six innings in the second game of the doubleheader.
Junior Erika Crissman hit an RBI single to score Holland in the bottom of the first inning to give the Sycamores the early 1-0 lead.
Both teams began trading runs as after five complete innings, the score remained tied 4-4.
The Braves used a patient approach at the plate, scoring 12 runs off nine walks in the top of the sixth inning to take a 16-4 advantage.
The Sycamores got runners on in the bottom of the 6th but couldn't extend the game as they fell by a final score of 16-4.
The rubber match of the series will take place Sunday at 12 p.m. at Price Field.
