Redbirds Rebound with 11-0 Win Over FGCU - Illinois State University Official Athletic Site

Redbirds Rebound with 11-0 Win Over FGCU
Lizzie Andrews and Nichelle Harrison each finished with four RBI to lead Illlinois State.

	Jordan Birch

Feb. 12, 2012

Box Score

TAMPA, Fla. - After suffering an 11-0 loss to No. 2/4 Florida last night at the USF Tournament in Tampa, Fla., the Illinois State softball team responded with an 11-0, five-inning win over Florida Gulf Coast Sunday morning to wrap up the weekend.

Senior Liz Andrews and redshirt sophomore Nichelle Harrison each drove in four runs, as the Redbird offense pounded out 10 hits. Senior Jordan Birch tossed a two-hit shutout and struck out 10 Eagles to improve to 3-0 on the season.

ISU jumped out to an early 4-0 lead, recording three hits and taking advantage of a pair of FGCU errors in the top of the first. Junior Lauren Kellar reached on an error to open the game and fellow junior Jhavon Hamilton followed with an RBI triple to right center. Andrews singled to drive in Hamilton, junior Elizabeth Kay walked and sophomore Laura Canopy was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Harrison then singled through the right side to drive in two of her four runs on the day.

Illinois State tacked on four more runs in the second, after Canopy and redshirt sophomore Sara Bradley drew bases-loaded walks and Harrison drove in two more on a single to left center.

The Redbirds extended their lead to 11-0 with a three-run fifth. Freshman Kara Repp and Kellar led off the inning with back-to-back singles and Andrews cleared the bases with a three-run home run to right.

FGCU got its first hit in the top of the fourth on a double by Emily Lanier to break up Birch's no-hit bid. Tori Williams recorded the only other hit for the Eagles with an infield single in the fifth.

Andrews finished 3-for-4 at the plate with three runs scored and four RBI and was one of four Redbirds to record multiple hits. Birch earned her second complete-game shutout in as many starts and struck out 20 batters, while allowing only three hits in her 11.0 innings in Tampa.

Illinois State will return to the diamond next weekend when they travel to Tempe, Ariz., for the annual Littlewood Classic. ISU is scheduled to play five games during the three-day event, highlighted by a matchup with 2011 national champions Arizona State.

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