March 27, 2011
Box Score
URBANA, Ill. - Jackie Guy and Pepper Gay combined to keep the Michigan State lineup off balance, earning the Illinois softball team a 3-2 win over the Spartans on Sunday. Guy started the contest and pitched into the fifth inning, holding Michigan State scoreless before Gay finished out the contest for her first save of the season. Combined, the duo fanned nine Spartans hitters while only allowing five hits and one earned run to secure the weekend sweep.
"I'm pleased with the sweep," Illinois head coach Terri Sullivan said. "I don't think we were at our best today, but we fought through tough conditions, some that we put ourselves in, and we were able to stop them from getting a big hit when they needed one. We got a couple of timely hits, and that ended up being the difference in the game."
The Illini tallied one run in the fourth and two more in the fifth to stake Illinois to a 3-0 lead entering the sixth. With two outs in the fourth, Stephanie Cuevas was struck with a pitch before Alex Booker singled up the middle to put runners on first and second. Ashley Conrad replaced Cuevas at second and scored when Danielle Zymkowitz followed Booker with an RBI-single to put the Illini in the lead, 1-0.
In the fifth, Meredith Hackett walked with one out and was replaced at first by pinch runner Nikki Simpson. Hollie Pinchback grounded into a fielder's choice, with both runners safe on the play, while Kelley Wedel followed with a hit by pitch to load the bases. Jessica Davis stepped to the plate next, driving a run scoring single up the middle to double the Illini lead. With the bases still loaded after Davis' single, Audrey Gallien continued her strong weekend by drawing a walk to force in the final Illini run of the day.
The Spartans attempted a rally in the sixth, pushing across two runners in the frame. Lindsey Hansen singled in one run while Brett Williams walked with the bases loaded to force in the last Michigan State run. Gay pitched out of the bases loaded jam to keep herself in line for the save by inducing a force out at home off the bat of Ali Grant before Jayme O'Bryant harmlessly grounded out to Zymkowitz.
"Pepper [Gay] is a very tough pitcher to face," Sullivan said. "She really keeps hitters off balance and doesn't give them a chance to get her timing down. We want to see her aggressively attacking batters because she has such great pitches. I thought she pitched great in relief today and got three strikeouts [in the fifth inning] we needed. Our pitchers came out here to win today and worked together [to achieve it]."
Danielle Vaji secured the only multi-hit performance in the game with a single through the left side in the third inning and a one-base hit up the middle in the sixth frame. Booker, Davis, Gallien, Pinchback and Zymkowitz tallied one base knock each during the game to reach the Illini's total of seven hits for the day. Davis also walked twice during the contest to reach base every time she stepped to the plate.
"It's good to see [that six Illini hitters had seven hits] because at this time of the year, you can't have just a couple players carrying you," Sullivan said. "There are scouting reports out there and everybody is working hard to get our leading hitters out. I'm pleased to see that our whole lineup is focusing on what they need to do to help the team win."
Up Next: The Illini (14-12) play at home against Bradley (7-22) on Wednesday, March 30 at 6 p.m. before Penn State (15-11) heads to Eichelberger Field for a game each on April 2-3.
