The Valpo softball team dropped a one-run game for the second straight day to visiting Indiana State, as a seventh-inning rally came up just short as the Beacons fell 5-4 Sunday afternoon at the Valpo Softball Complex.
 
How It Happened

• Indiana State scored in its first time at the plate, turning a leadoff walk into the game's first run on a two-out no-man's land double to shallow left center.
• Valpo pulled in front in the bottom of the second. Mack Gallagher (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East [MSU Moorhead]) drew a walk to lead off the inning and moved up to second two batters later on an opposite-way liner from Marissa Jackson (Willis, Mich./Huron). Two batters later, Azalya Lopez (Corona, Calif./Eleanor Roosevelt [MSU Moorhead]) drove a pitch which carried to deep center field, eventually hitting off the top of the fence for a two-run double.
• After giving up the first-inning run, Sydney McDermott (Stout, Ohio/Portsmouth West) settled in the circle and retired nine of the ten batters she faced from the second through fourth innings.
• Indiana State got a runner to third with two outs in the top of the fifth, and with McDermott having made her way through the Sycamore lineup twice, the Beacons brought in Lopez to pitch. Facing one of the Valley's speediest players in Morgan Goodrich, Lopez induced a grounder to third and the throw from Cadan Brinkman (Bloomington, Ill./Normal Community [Campbell/Wofford]) beat Goodrich by a step to maintain the lead.
• Valpo was one out away from getting out of the top of the sixth still in front, but a two-run single was followed by a two-run homer from Sophie Esposito as the Sycamores put four runs on the board to take a 5-2 lead.
• The Beacons had a golden scoring chance in their half of the sixth, as Kim Rodas (San Bernardino, Calif./Cajon) walked and Gallagher singled to put runners on the corners with nobody out.
• After a fielder's choice resulted in the first out, Jackson hit a grounder to second — Brinkman was called safe at second as she avoided the tag attempt, while Jackson was called out on a bang-bang play at first while Rodas crossed the plate to seemingly bring the Beacons within 5-3. In a rarity, both teams ended up challenging the play, as ISU contested the call at second and Valpo the call at first — the review resulted in Brinkman being called out on the tag, while the Jackson out stood, resulting in an inning-ending double play and wiping the run off the board, keeping the score at 5-2 entering the seventh.
• Valpo got the potential tying run to the plate with nobody out in its final turn at the plate, thanks to Kaia Garnica (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield Central) leading off with a pinch-hit single and Lopez walking. Two batters later, Madison Vrastil (Oak Forest, Ill./Andrew) made it a 5-3 game with an infield single, and Kayden Krug (Milford, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame) followed with a sacrifice fly to bring the Beacons within one run. With the tying run on second base, though, a groundout ended the game.

 
Inside the Game

• Five of Valpo's first 11 MVC games have been one-run contests, with the Beacons holding a 2-3 record in those games.
• This is the third straight conference weekend that Valpo has won the series opener before dropping the next two contests.
• Gallagher reached base in all three of her plate appearances Sunday, going 1-for-1 with a pair of walks — the fifth time this season the senior has been walked multiple times in a game.
• Gallagher has walked 29 times this season, already tied for seventh-most in a single season in program history. Despite being in just her second season at Valpo, Gallagher also ranks seventh on the program's career chart, leaping three spots Sunday as she is up to 65 free passes.
• Lopez reached base twice as well thanks to her sixth double of the season and the seventh-inning walk. With two RBIs, she drove in multiple runs for the third time this year.
• Lopez was charged with the relief loss in the circle, falling to 5-6 as she tossed the final 2.1 innings.
• McDermott had a strong start Sunday, going 4.2 innings while surrendering just two hits and one run.

 
Next Up
Valpo (14-19, 3-8 MVC) has a light week on tap, as its only action over the next nine days is a Friday MVC doubleheader at Illinois State. First pitch of game one is slated for 2 p.m.