NORMAL, Ill. -

Final Score: Illinois State 2, Loyola 1
Records: Illinois State (18-16, 8-3 MVC); Loyola (18-16, 1-10 MVC)
Location: Marian Kneer Stadium -- Normal, Ill.
Stats: Box Score 

In Short
Annie Heineman’s two-out single with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh inning provided the game-winning run as Illinois State (18-16, 8-3 MVC) rallied for a 2-1 victory over Loyola University Chicago in game two of a doubleheader at Marian Kneer Stadium. The Ramblers fall to 18-16 overall and 1-10 in Missouri Valley Conference play.

How It Happened
Loyola starter Kiley Jones consistently escaped trouble through the first four innings, stranding seven Redbirds on base. Illinois State finally broke through against the sophomore righthander in the bottom of the fifth when Allison Spence crushed a two-out RBI double off the wall in left field that scored pinch runner Taylor Vanderpool to give the Redbirds a 1-0 lead.

Loyola was held without a hit through six innings by ISU starter Ali Domkuski, who retired the first 19 Ramblers she faced. Shannon McGee broke up Domkuski’s no-hit bid and started Loyola’s seventh-inning rally when she ripped a double down the left field line with one out. One out later, Alyssa Mannucci walked and pinch hitter Jordyn Cordell followed with a single to left that scored McGee to tie the game, but pinch runner Naidelyn Medina, who was running for Mannucci, was gunned down at the plate trying to score the go-ahead run.

Illinois State charged right back and loaded the bases against Jones in the bottom of the seventh before Heineman smacked a single to left to score Allison Spence, who had reached on a one-out walk, for the winning run.

A Look At The Numbers
- Loyola is now 6-3 in one-run games this season.
- McGee has hit safely in three straight contests.
- Jones scattered 10 hits and struck out one in a hard-luck decision.
- Jordan de los Reyes went 3-for-4 with two doubles for Illinois State.

Up Next
Loyola and Illinois State wrap up the weekend series with a single game tomorrow at 11 a.m.