NORMAL, Ill. (March 28, 2021)
In Short
Illinois State (17-4, 4-0 MVC) scored five runs in its final two turns at-bat to earn a 7-4 victory over Loyola University Chicago (5-14, 1-3 MVC) Sunday afternoon in game one of a doubleheader at Marian Kneer Stadium.
How It Happened
Loyola got on the board early when
Allyson Ivey, who led off with a walk, later scored on a Redbirds error, in the top of the first inning.
The Ramblers held on to that lead until the bottom of the third when Mack Leonard mashed a solo home run to right center to tie the score, and Illinois State seized the advantage on Dayna Kennedy's RBI sacrifice fly.
Loyola stole the momentum right back in the fourth and
Madison Ebeling's roundtripper to lead off the fourth inning drew the Ramblers even at 2-2.
A three-run fifth inning that featured RBI doubles from Kennedy and Jayden Standish, the latter being of the two-run variety, put Illinois State ahead to stay and the Redbirds would add to that advantage in the bottom of the sixth on Leonard's two-run homer to center.
Trailing by five runs, Loyola mounted a rally in the top of the seventh when
Nova Sinskul doubled to lead off the frame and scored on Cailtin Engelking's two-run blast to center that sliced the deficit to 7-4, but the Ramblers couldn't inflict further damage in the inning.
A Look at the Numbers
- Ebeling and Sinskul tallied two hits apiece for Loyola, which dropped its third consecutive contest.
- ISU starter Morgan Day collected the win, striking out 13 Ramblers, while scattering six hits.
Up Next
The Ramblers and Redbirds play game two of the twin bill at 4 p.m.
