After taking two games from Creighton on Saturday, the ISU softball team was able to make it a clean sweep on Senior Day with a third win over the Bluejays in the Redbirds’ final series at Marian Kneer Stadium.

“We’re really proud of all our seniors,” ISU head coach Melinda Fischer said. “It was great. Anytime you can win on Senior Day you’re ecstatic. A little emotional at times, but I thought we handled it well.”

ISU 8, CU 0 (five innings)

In the series finale on Sunday, the Redbirds cruised to an 8-0 victory to pick up the Missouri Valley Conference series sweep.

Senior pitcher Jordan Birch picked up her second win of the series with five strikeouts, three of which came in the third inning when CU loaded the bases and, for the second time in the series, Birch got out of the jam.

“We hung in there and then we just got a big, big hit by Nichelle Harrison,” Fischer said.

That hit came in the fourth inning to put ISU ahead 3-0. The Redbirds scored five runs in the fifth to end the game, including three runs that were walked in.

Despite just two hits in the contest, Fischer was pleased with her team’s ability to draw eight walks out of the ’Jays’ pitching.

ISU 8, CU 3

The Redbird offense put numbers on the board early, taking a 2-0 lead in the first inning thanks to RBI hits from seniors Liz Andrews and Caiti Kopp.

But ISU’s lead got cut in half an inning later as a solo homerun put CU on the board to make it 2-1. ISU lengthened its lead in the bottom of the third with a double from Kopp bringing home two more Redbirds for a score of 4-1.

Vivianne Velazquez / Daily Vidette Staff Photographer: Nichelle Harrison had a three-run home run to help ISU to victory on Sunday and a series sweep over Creighton.

But once again, a Creighton hit over the fence kept the Bluejays nipping at the heels of the Redbirds, 4-3. ISU increased its lead to two in the fifth inning after Creighton’s pitcher issued a walk with bases loaded for the ’Birds.

Andrews recorded her second RBI of the game in the sixth inning to extend ISU’s lead. With two outs, Andrews went on to score after Laura Canopy singled to right field. Kopp then had her third hit of the game that drove in Canopy and wrapped up the 8-3 victory for the ’Birds.

ISU 3, CU 1

Birch got herself in and out of a jam on Saturday in the Redbirds’ first game against Creighton. The ’Birds were ahead 3-1 before the ’Jays loaded the bases with only one out. But after allowing four straight hits, Birch struck out two batters to end the inning and keep the victory intact for ISU.

“Creighton loaded the bases and she pitched out of it. She had a heck of a weekend against Creighton,” Fischer said.

Hamilton accounted for the ’Birds’ first run with a solo homer in the first inning to put ISU ahead 1-0.

ISU loaded the bases in the fifth inning and a hit from sophomore Laura Canopy drove in two runs to extend the ’Birds’ lead to 3-0.

Although CU earned a run back with a solo shot in the seventh inning, the Bluejays never made a comeback.