The Valpo softball team had a pair of golden opportunities Friday to overcome a late one-run deficit in its series opener at the Valpo Softball Complex against Illinois State, but the Beacons were unable to convert on either chance as they fell to the visiting Redbirds, 2-1.
 
How It Happened

• Valpo opened the scoring in the bottom of the second inning. Azalya Lopez (Corona, Calif./Eleanor Roosevelt [MSU Moorhead]) lined the first pitch of the inning the opposite way for an infield single, and three batters later, Kim Rodas (San Bernardino, Calif./Cajon) swatted a pitch through the left side of the infield to plate Lopez and give the Beacons the 1-0 lead.
• Illinois State jumped in front in the top of the third, stringing together three straight hits to score its first run before a second scored on an infield groundout.
• A heads-up play by Lopez in the top of the fifth helped keep it a one-run game. With runners on first and second and nobody out, the Redbirds attempted a sacrifice bunt, which was popped over the head of the charging third baseman. Lopez came out of the circle to field it and was able to beat the lead runner to third base for a force.
• Illinois State threatened to extend its lead in the top of the sixth, putting runners on the corners with nobody out and then stealing second with one out to put two in scoring position. But Lopez got a line-drive out to Natalie Bush (Hudsonville, Mich./Unity Christian) at the hot corner for the key second out and then took care of business herself, closing the inning with a three-pitch strikeout.
• Valpo had its own great chance at tying or taking the lead in the bottom of the sixth, starting with a leadoff single by Mack Gallagher (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East [MSU Moorhead]). Pinch-runner Kyndal Shively (Normal, Ill./University) took second on a passed ball and Lopez followed with a double to the wall in left-center, but Shively had to hold near second to be able to tag if it was caught, so the freshman was able only to advance to third on the two-bagger.
• With second and third and nobody out, the Redbirds got the first out at first on a grounder with the infield in. Another infield grounder was bobbled by the ISU shortstop, but her throw home beat Shively for the second out, and a caught stealing on an attempted first and third steal play ended the inning with no runs scoring.
• Rodas walked to lead off the Beacons' half of the seventh and a grounder got the potential tying run to second with one out. But the Redbirds cut down the lead runner on a grounder back to the circle for the second out, and a strikeout ended the game.

 
Inside the Game

• Friday was Valpo's 14^th one-run game out of 36 contests this season, the loss dropping its record in such games to 9-5.
• Six of the Beacons' last 11 games have been decided by a single tally.
• Valpo was held to just four hits in the loss, the second straight game the offense has picked up only four hits — the first time this year it has been held to four hits or fewer in consecutive games.
• The standout for the Beacons Friday in all respects was Lopez. The junior reached in all three of her plate appearances, going 2-for-2 with a walk — her fifth multi-hit game of the year and extending her on-base streak to six straight games.
• In the circle, Lopez entered in the fourth inning and spun four innings of shutout softball. It was the fifth time in her last six pitching appearances she has not allowed an earned run.
• Rodas reached base twice as well on Friday, going 1-for-2 with a walk.
• Gallagher extended her on-base streak to 17 consecutive games with her sixth-inning single.
• Erin Metz (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton North) started in the circle and took the loss, falling to 6-3 on the season.

 
Next Up
Valpo (17-19, 6-9 MVC) continues its three-game set against the Redbirds on Saturday afternoon at the Valpo Softball Complex. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.