The Valpo softball team concluded regular season action on Sunday at the Valpo Softball Complex, falling 11-0 to Indiana State.

How It Happened

• Indiana State got on the board in the top of the first, scoring a run without the benefit of a hit.
• Valpo seemed poised to respond in their half of the first, as Taylor Herschbach (Lockport, Ill./Lockport Township) was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and Regi Hecker (Lee’s Summit, Mo./Blue Springs South) dropped the first pitch she saw into left for a single to put two runners on. But a line drive turned into a double play, squashing the threat.
• The Sycamores added a run in the second inning, two in the third, three in the fifth and four in the seventh for the final margin.

Inside the Game

• Hecker finished 2-for-3 at the plate, adding a double to her first-inning single. It was the junior’s ninth multi-hit game of the campaign.
• Freshman Lexi Szostak (Roselle, Ill./Lake Park) also reached base twice, drawing a pair of free passes.
• Szostak also started in the circle for the Beacons, becoming the first pitcher other than Easton Seib and Caitlyn Kowalski to start a game this year for Valpo. Szostak entered the game with just 5.1 innings pitched during her rookie season, but tossed the first five innings on Sunday.
• Szostak is the first Valpo pitcher to start the game in the batting order as well since Kelsie Packard did so against Longwood on March 7, 2020.
• Sophomore Kaiah Fenters (Speedway, Ind./Speedway) tossed a perfect sixth inning, while freshman Cadence Augustine (Beaverton, Mich./Beaverton) entered in relief in the seventh and retired all three batters she faced.

Next Up

Valpo (8-40, 4-23 MVC) heads to the 2023 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament, starting this Wednesday in Carbondale, Ill. The Beacons will be the 12^th seed and face an immediate rematch with fifth-seeded Indiana State on Wednesday afternoon at 1 p.m. The game can be seen live on ESPN+.