Box Score
Brooklyn, N.Y. - The Long Island University softball team lost to Illinois State, 4-1, at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga. Junior Mariesha Marker (Keizer, Ore.) extended her hitting streak to nine games and scored the Blackbirds' one run. Long Island will continue play Feb. 27 at 4:00 p.m. against Mississippi St. Livestats can be found here.
The Redbirds took the lead in the top of the first following consecutive hits to lead off the inning and added another off a wild pitch in the second. Long Island attempted to tie the game in the second inning after a single by junior Brynn Lewis (Woodinvile, Wash.) started a rally that eventually loaded the bases. The Blackbirds were unable to advance any runners across the plate, stranding three of their five runners for the game.
Illinois State tacked on two more runs in the fifth inning to extend the lead to 4-0. After a leadoff single in the bottom of the fifth, Marker scored on a wild pitch to narrow the lead to 4-1. Freshman Sterling Hoham (Norco, Calif.) reached on a two-out error for a last-ditch effort, but the Redbirds forced the final out to end the game.
Senior Jenny Giles (Melbourne, Fla.) pitched the final three innings of three-hit scoreless ball.