March 20, 2007

Final Stats

Normal, Ill. - A game that pitted two teams with a combined 74 home runs in 54 games didn't disappoint fans seeing their teams in state for the first time this season. In the end a pair of solo home runs in the bottom of the seventh lifted 17th-ranked Illinois State (24-6) to a 7-6 victory over Illinois (16-10) Tuesday in Normal.

The game showed once again the resiliency of this year's Illinois team, however. For the sixth time this season, the Illini battled back from at least a three-run deficit to either take the lead or make it interesting. Against Illinois State the Illini trailed 3-0, tied the score at 3-3 and fell behind 5-3 only to charge back to take a 6-5 lead.

The Illini proved once again that they can compete with the nation's best with now five of their ten losses coming to ranked opponents. This also isn't the first time that Illinois has suffered heartbreak against a ranked opponent. The Illini had No. 4 Texas A&M on the ropes, leading 5-2 heading into the bottom of the seventh, only to see a walk-off grand slam home run dash the Illini's hopes.

Illinois State used an Amber Smith two-run first inning home run and an unearned run in the fourth to take a 3-0 lead. The Illini had two opportunities to tack on runs of their own against ISU starter Stacy Birk, but they stranded five base runners in the first two innings.

Trailing 3-0 in the fifth inning, Illinois finally got to Birk, who had held the Illini scoreless for 8.2 innings dating back to a Feb. 10 battle in Miami. Big Ten Player-of-the-Week Angelena Mexicano hit her fifth home run in as many days, belting one deep over the right-field wall. One out later Lana Armstrong went yard over the left field fence to make it 3-2.

With a runner in scoring position and two out in the sixth, freshman Hope Howell reached out and delivered a clutch double just out of the out-stretched glove of Kelsey Warning to score Syndey Lisy from second and tie the score.

Illinois State punched home a pair of unearned runs to retake the lead in the bottom of the sixth. Illinois remained confident in its final at-bat in the seventh. Shanna Diller led off with a single to right and advanced to third on Makenzie Smith's second double of the game. Kisten Martin and Lisy delivered back-to-back singles plating Diller and Armstrong, and Molly Lawhead gave Illinois the lead with a sacrifice fly to the warning track in center field.

Illinois State would not be denied, however. Jessie Buker led off the bottom of the seventh with a home run to center. One out later, Casey Gorrell ended it with a walk-off line drive homer to left.

The loss ended Illinois' six-game game winning streak ahead of Wednesday's home opener against Illinois-Chicago. First pitch at Eichelberger Field is set for 4 p.m.