Home runs by Emme Olson, Allison Spence and Ellie Weltha helped power the Illinois State softball team to a 16-8 Missouri Valley Conference win over Evansville on Sunday and a sweep in their three-game series to open the league season at Evansville, Ind.
The Redbirds pounded out 13 hits in the slugfest with Spence leading the way with a grand slam and five RBIs.
Olson, an Olympia High School graduate, launched her team-leading sixth home run of the season over the right-field wall in the first inning with the two-run shot scoring Shannon Felde ahead of her.