University of Illinois
Iowa
Illinois Falls To Iowa In Big Ten Tournament Opener
May 9, 2008 | Softball
May 9, 2008
EVANSTON, Ill. - The Illinois softball team came out firing against the Iowa Hawkeyes (39-17, 14-6 Big Ten) in the opening round of the Big Ten Tournament, taking a 1-0 lead in the first inning, but the Hawkeyes scored nine unanswered runs to capture a 9-1 win on Thursday morning at Northwestern's Drysdale Field. Shortstop Angelena Mexicano and second baseman Danielle Zymkowitz each went 2-for-3 on the day, as the Illini finish the season 30-32 and 8-12 in the Big Ten.
"We came in with a really competitive attitude and we just got beat by a better team today," head coach Terri Sullivan said. "Offensively, Iowa came out with a lot of firepower. We were pretty excited to come out and score first and even when we got behind I still felt really good about our chances if we could just push a couple through, but obviously (Hawkeye pitcher) Brittany Weil was able to shut us down."
Weil (26-12) picked up the win for her complete-game performance, giving up one earned run on seven hits and striking out four. Illinois starter Ashley Wright (8-9) tossed an inning and two-thirds in the loss, allowing four earned runs on five hits before Claire DeVreese entered the game in relief for an inning and a third. DeVreese gave up four earned runs on two hits while Christine Christopoulos came on for the final inning and a third and allowed one run on one hit.
"We needed to pitch better because we let a couple of batters get on with walks and you just can't do that this time of the year against a team that is really feeling it," Sullivan said.
The Illini took an early lead, putting a run on the board in the first thanks to three consecutive hits to leadoff the game. Zymkowitz singled to left-center before Mexicano roped a double to centerfield. Zymkowitz moved to third easily then sped home when the centerfielder misplayed the ball. Third baseman Shanna Diller knocked a single to put runners at the corners then catcher Lana Armstrong followed with a fly to right while Mexicano tagged up but was thrown out at the plate.
"Our game plan was to come out aggressive and you have to do that against a pitcher of (Weil's) caliber," Sullivan said. "They got a lot of momentum after we scored the first run on the nice throw home for the out, then I think she felt good about getting out of that inning with just a run."
Iowa fought back with a trio of runs in the bottom of the first. After a leadoff triple, Wright picked up two quick outs before the Hawkeyes belted back-to-back home runs for the 3-1 lead.
The Hawkeyes tacked on another run in the second before adding four in the third on a grand slam to take an 8-1 lead. Iowa sealed the run-rule win in the fifth after a single, walk and error allowed the final run to cross the plate to make it 9-1.
Iowa advances to play Michigan State in the semifinals, with the winner moving on to the Big Ten Tournament championship game.
