ST. CHARLES, Mo. – For the first time since the 2014 season, the Illinois softball team earned a win over its border rival Missouri as the Illini swept their neutral-site doubleheader with the Tigers, 5-2 and 9-6, at the Lou Brock Sports Complex on the campus of Lindenwood University on Wednesday (March 14) afternoon.
The doubleheader sweep marked the third and fourth-straight wins for the Illini, who improve to 13-8 on the season.
Freshman Bella Loya registered a .800 batting average with four hits in the two games, while junior Kiana Sherlund went 4-for-8 with a triple, three RBI and two runs scored. Junior Stephanie Abello posted two hits, three RBI and a run on the day, with redshirt-junior Carly Thomas adding two hits, two RBI and a run.
Quotable
"Emily was a force on the mound today. Missouri is a strong hitting team an she was able to keep them off balance the entire game. Stephanie Abello's home run in game one set the tone for our offense. Our bats started out hot in the second game. It was exciting to see our players put together the quality at-bats we needed to score five runs immediately. Alexis Carrillo paced us on offense and defense." – head coach Tyra Perry
What Happened
Game 1: Illinois 5, Missouri 2
Abello gave the Illini an early 2-0 lead in the opening frame of game one as she sent a two-run home run over the left field fence for her first long ball of the season.
The Tigers (16-12) closed within 2-1 in the top of the second on an RBI double down the right field line, but the Illini answered back with three scores in the fourth as freshman Maddison Demers delivered an RBI groundout, followed by an RBI single up the middle for senior Leigh Farina. Thomas then added an RBI foul sac fly for the 5-1 edge.
Mizzou would get score one more run – an RBI single in the fifth – over the next five innings as junior Emily Oestreich (8-3) closed out her eighth victory of the season with a toss to first base for the final out. The Napa, Calif., native allowed just two earned runs on six hits and two walks, while striking out four in a complete game effort.
The Illini totaled 10 hits, with Sherlund, Loya and senior Sam Acosta each registering two hits on the day.
Game 2: Illinois 9, Missouri 6
The bats continued to stay hot heading into the day's second game as the Illini jumped out to an early 5-0 lead with five runs in the top of the first inning. Thomas got the scoring going with an RBI sac fly, followed by an Abello single through the left to bring in a run. Junior Alexis Carrillo then knocked her first career triple for a pair of scores, before Loya added an RBI double for the 5-0 lead.
Mizzou came back with a pair of unearned runs on a two-RBI double in the bottom half of the frame, but a big sixth inning broke things open for the Illini as Sherlund knocked a three-run triple to right center, before senior pinch hitter Katie Gallagher notched her fourth career RBI with a groundout to score the junior.
The Tigers fought back with four runs in the bottom of the seventh, but junior pitchers Taylor Edwards and Oestreich combined to work out of the jam as an Oestreich swinging strikeout seal the victory.
Edwards (4-5) started the game and went 6.1 innings, giving up five runs – three earned – on four hits and three walks, while striking out one in the win. Oestreich gave up just one earned run on two hits and a walk and struck out two in 0.2 frames of relief action.
Illinois outhit the Tigers, seven to six, but committed three errors to UM's one. Sherlund turned in a 2-for-4 effort with three RBI and two runs, while Loya added two hits and an RBI in the win.
What's Next
The Illini next heads to Fresno, Calif., for the Fresno Friendly at Margie Wright Diamond on March 16-17 with doubleheaders against the host Bulldogs on Friday at 7 p.m. CT and Cal Poly on Saturday at 3 p.m.
For more Fighting Illini softball news, stay tuned to FIGHTINGILLINI.com and follow the team on Twitter @IlliniSB or like Fighting Illini Softball on Facebook.
