NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State (26-20, 15-6 MVC) pitcher Hannah Ross pitched a complete game in the Redbirds' 3-2 win in 10 innings on Friday night, the longest game of the season for ISU, topping the Evansville Aces (21-27, 7-15 MVC) 3-2 in the opening game of the three-game MVC series. The game was ISU's first extra-inning win of the season in the third chance this season.
Ross struck out 10 batters – the second-most in a game during her collegiate career – as she became the first Redbird to pitch 10 or more innings in a game since the 2015 season opener where Regan Romshek went 10 innings on February 6, 2015, against Jacksonville.
BIRDS BITS
Offensive Highlights:Â
Emme Olson: 1-for-4, R, RBI, HR
Abby Knight: 2-for-5, R, RBI
Dayna Kennedy, 1-for-4, RBI
Hanna Hicks, 2-for-2
Kaili Chval, 2-for-4, R
Pitching Breakdown:
Hannah Ross: 10.0 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 10 SO
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Redbirds struck for the first run of the game in the top of the second inning when Abby Knight singled up the middle to open the frame, before advancing to second on a passed ball. A groundout advanced her to third before a Dayna Kennedy infield single gave the Redbirds the one-run advantage.
Evansville evened the score in the bottom of the third as Lacy Smith singled through the right side to start the inning. After a sacrifice bunt advanced Smith to second, she scored on a single up the middle by Marah Wood.
A solo home run down the right field line from Emmy Olson to lead off the sixth inning re-secured a one-run lead for the Redbirds.
The following half-inning the host Aces strung together a series of two-out at-bats that includes a single and a hit by pitch, before Davis reached on a fielding error that pushed Wood across the plate for the hosts' second run of the game.
After each team reached the scoreboard in the sixth inning, the bats went silent for the next three innings before Illinois State got a one-out single from Kaili Chval, her second hit of the game, and then advanced to second after a passed ball. Knight followed with a single to left field, chasing home Chval for the game-winning run.
Ross sat Evansville down in order in the bottom of the 10th, including back-to-back strikeouts to close the game.
ON DECK
Illinois State will remain in Evansville to face off against the Aces for the remaining two games of the three-game series on April 29 and 30.
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