March 17, 2007

Illinois-Pittsburgh Box Score Illinois-Idaho State Box Score

Sacramento, Calif. - Just four days from its home opener, the Illinois softball team promises to bring excitement to Eichelberger Field in 2007. Playing in just its 24th game of the year, the Illini now have 32 home runs, just 17 off a school record. They smacked six out of the park on Saturday in easy five-inning victories over Pittsburgh and Idaho State at the Capital Classic in Sacramento.

With a 12-2 victory over Pitt and an 8-0 win over Idaho State, the Illini have won five straight games for the first time since winning nine straight in 2004. Now 4-0 in the tournament, Illinois (15-9) plays host Sacramento State at 11 a.m. CDT Sunday with a chance to win its first tournament title since '04 when the Illini won the LSU Tiger Classic and the Texas A&M Invitational.

Shanna Diller hit a home run against Idaho State giving her three home runs on the weekend and a team-leading seven for the season. Illinois has 11 home runs as a team in the tournament topping the eight the Illini hit at the Louisville Slugger Desert Classic at Las Vegas in February. Illinois has also out-scored its opponents 40-4 in the first two days of the tournament.

"Hitting is contagious," said Illinois head coach Terri Sullivan. "Right now our team is seeing the ball real well from top to bottom. We continue to focus on taking it game-by-game and winning innings. Our momentum really started at the Texas A&M game (one which Illinois led 5-2 against the fourth-ranked Aggies)."

Not to be overlooked, however, has been the solid pitching and defense. Illinois had an errorless day and splendid pitching. Vicky Brown (9-3) gave up just two runs and four hits in four innings against Pittsburgh. Fellow freshman Ashley Wright (5-5) pitched four innings of perfect softball before giving up two hits in the fifth to record to record her second shutout of the season vs. Idaho State.

"We focused a lot on our defense in the week off," Sullivan said. "Because of that our pitchers can be aggressive."

Shortstop Angelena Mexicano had a home run in each game, giving her six long balls for the season, while catcher Lana Armstrong and right fielder Hope Howell went yard for the second straight day.

Illinois jumped on both teams early. A Kisten Martin grand slam highlighted a six-run second inning and gave Illinois a 7-0 lead against Pitt. Mexicano was 2-for-4 with a double and a home run vs. Pitt. Her third inning homer made it 9-0.

After Pittsburgh tallied two runs in the fourth, Howell hit a line-drive three-run homer to deep center to give Illinois a ten-run cushion. Claire DeVreese pitched a perfect bottom of the fifth.

Illinois scored in every inning but one against Idaho State. Three of the eight runs scored were unearned as Idaho State committed three errors. Martin was 2-for-2 with a walk and her two RBI. Her first-inning RBI double highlighted a three-run inning.

The Illini made it 5-0 on solo shots from Armstrong and Diller. Mexicano hit a shot just inside the left-field foul pole to make it 6-0 after 4-0. Martin and Sarah Bryers had RBI in a two-run eighth.

Armstrong is hitting .636 (7-for-11) with two doubles, two home runs and six RBI for the tournament to bring her season average to .453. Three Illinois players have a slugging percentage over 1.000 for the four games - Armstrong (1.364), Mexicano (1.067) and Diller (1.133). Both Diller and Mexicano are 7-for-15 at the plate. Martin and Howell each have six RBI for the weekend.