Illinois State was first on the board in the first when Allison Spence singled up the middle to plate Shannon Felde and put her team on top 1-0. The Redbirds added an insurance run in the fourth with a sacrifice fly from Annie Heineman. Murray State was only able to scratch out three hits in the game and was not able to score any runs. The Racers' best chance came in the third with back-to-back hits from Maggie Glass and Madison Culver to lead off the frame. Despite the strong start to the inning, MSU could not score and ended up falling, 2-0.
Haven Campbell took the loss for Murray State by allowing two runs on seven hits with two walks. Sarah Finck earned the shutout in the circle for Illinois State by allowing just three hits with no walks and six strikeouts.
Facing elimination in their second game of the day, the Racers got off to a hot start and jumped out to a 6-0 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth. Kaylee Ranburger, Cayla Levins and Brenna Finck each had RBI singles in the scoring barrage, while Ranburger drove in a second run on a sacrifice fly.
However, in the bottom of the sixth, things unraveled quickly for Murray State and the Spartans began to mount a comeback almost identical to the Racers' the day before. Michigan State pounded out 10 runs on eight hits and an error. Seven different Spartans drove in runs in the inning which was capped by a two-run home run from Kelcey Carrasco. Murray State was unable to generate any offense in the top of the seventh and fell, 10-6.
Brenna Finck led Murray State in the contest by going 2-for-4 with two runs and a RBI. Her second hit of the day broke the MSU single-season record for hits with 73, a record previously held by Megan Glosser and Jessica Twaddle who each had 72 hits in 2012 and 2015, respectively. Lea Forester and McKenzie Long helped power the Michigan State offense in the game by each going 3-for-4.
