April 17, 2012
Box Score | Highlights (IPHD)
URBANA, Ill. - Junior catcher Stephanie Cuevas totaled a pair of run-scoring singles while redshirt-junior Jessica Davis knocked an RBI-double to the left field wall and scored a run as the Illini softball squad downed Western Illinois, 5-1, at Eichelberger Field. Starting pitcher Pepper Gay picked up the junior right-hander's 50th career victory against WIU on Tuesday evening with a complete-game effort, holding an opponent to one or fewer runs for the 20th time on the season to secure the win.
"Pepper wanted the ball after her last performance," Illinois head coach Terri Sullivan said. "That's what great players do. The next time they get out there, they throw their game and play in the moment. I thought she looked good and threw the game we know she can."
Illinois (19-20 overall) opened scoring in the top of the fourth, with freshman third baseman Jess Perkins creating the one-run lead. Freshman center fielder Brittany Sanchez led off the frame with a walk and Davis reached on an infield single, beating the throw from shortstop by half of a step to put runners on first and second with no one out. Perkins followed with an RBI-single to score Sanchez as Davis and Perkins moved up one base each on the throw home from right fielder Monica Rondon.
Still in the fourth, with runners on second and third and no one out, redshirt-senior first baseman Danielle Vaji reached safely on a fielding error by third baseman Megan Kelley, loading the bases as Kelley bobbled the play while trying to hold Davis at third base. With sophomore catcher Jenna Mychko at bat following Vaji, Western Illinois starting pitcher Hailey Bickford tossed a 2-2 pitch in the dirt that kicked away toward the third base dugout. As Leatherneck catcher Lia Romeo tracked down the ball, Davis hustled home safely to stake the Illini to a 2-0 lead. After freshman second baseman Jami Schkade drew a walk to put runners on each bag, Cuevas earned the first of the junior's two RBI-base hits to push the Orange and Blue in front, 3-0.
"Today at the plate, I was able to get up with runners on every time I hit," Cuevas said. "You know you have to be selfless and think about scoring a run for your team. That's all I was thinking, putting the ball in play and hopefully scoring."
Western Illinois (22-19) earned its lone run in the top of the fifth to cut the Illini advantage to 3-1. With the bases loaded, first baseman Jamie Goss - WIU's RBI-leader entering the contest with 32 - sent a one-out fly ball to Booker, scoring Emma Jarrell from third. However, the Illini responded immediately in the bottom of the frame to re-take a three-run lead. Booker walked as the first batter and stole second base, with Davis using a double to drive in Booker two batters later.
The Orange and Blue reached the final score with a lone run in the bottom of the sixth, extending their lead to 5-1 in the process. Mychko reached on a fielding error by shortstop KC Dunne, moving to second when Schkade followed with a slow ground out to the pitcher. After Mychko moved to third on a wild pitch, Cuevas singled to right field.
Gay won for the third straight time in the Illini-Leathernecks series with one run allowed on five hits and four walks against eight strikeouts. Gay, who is now 50-26 in the circle as an Illini, owns a 0.36 ERA against WIU, with 19 2/3 innings of one-run softball, allowing seven hits while striking out 21 Western Illinois batters over three contests.
Bickford took the loss with 4 1/3 innings in the circle, giving up four runs - three earned - on four hits and four walks while striking out four.
Illinois continues its season with three games against Purdue (27-13, 9-2 B1G), facing the Boilermakers in a doubleheader on Saturday, April 21, with first pitch of game one scheduled for 1 p.m. CT. The Orange and Blue and Purdue will conclude the series with one more contest at 1 p.m. CT on Sunday, April 22.
