SYCAMORES SCORE LATE TO DOWN NORTHERN IOWA

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State waited until its last at-bat to score against visiting Northern Iowa, but the one run they plated in the final frame was enough as the Sycamores downed the Panthers, 1-0, to take 2-of-3 games this weekend from UNI. ISU improves to 21-23, 8-13 MVC while the Panthers fell to 12-33-1, 2-17 MVC.

Solid in the circle for her third game in the past two days was sophomore Darcy Wood. She tossed her eighth shutout of the season in a seven-inning, four-hit performance in which she was rarely threatened. Wood punched out five Panthers at the plate in improving to 17-12 on the season. She needs just three more victories in the final seven regular season games to own ISU’s single-season victory record. Her 212 strikeouts this season are already a new school standard.

ISU could not get much going against UNI’s Monica Wright, who held the Sycamores scoreless for the first six innings, after earning a victory over ISU in game one on Saturday. Wright went 6.1 innings, allowed four hits and the lone run of the day – the game-winner in the bottom of the seventh.

The Sycamores owned just two hits prior to the seventh, but Kelsey Anderson drove a ball deep to the rightfield fence with one out to put a runner in scoring position. Margaret McQueen entered the contest to run, and then Ashley Trover was hit by a pitch to put runners on the corners. Following an intentional walk to Yvette Tovar, senior Alyssa Duncan had the chance to be a hero with the bases loaded.

The senior delivered as she punched a Wright pitch into right field that scored McQueen for the 1-0 victory. With the loss, Wright fell to 7-18 on the season.

The Panthers did leave six runners stranded on the base paths during the game, including in the fourth inning when a pair of Sycamore errors almost cost ISU. Nikki Ferden led off by reaching on an error by Christina Meyers then advanced to second a wild pick off attempt by Tovar. Wood calmly got the next three batters out to end the threat.

Wood committed an error of her own in the sixth and the Panthers had runners at second and third with just one out. Morgan Paulson grounded out to first, and then Stephanie Aguero grounded out to second to end that threat as well.

A big game looms for the Sycamores mid-week before they travel to Evansville for what may prove to be the deciding weekend for ISU and their postseason tournament chances. ISU hosts Indiana on Wednesday for a single-game at Price Field, which begins at 3:00 p.m. (EDT). Then the Sycamores go to Evansville next weekend for a three-game set with the Purple Aces. Action on both Saturday and Sunday in Southern Indiana begins at 1:00 p.m. (EDT).

GAME BOX SCORE