Feb. 24, 2001
Box Score
BOCA RATON, Fla. - For the second straight day, the Illinois women's softball team won one game and lost one, as the Illini finished round-robin play of the Worth Invitational 2-2. Illinois is now 11-5 on the season and will play single elimination tomorrow facing a yet to be determined opponent.
In their first game of the day, Illinois knocked out 12 hits and Kathryn Nevard moved her record to 7-3 as Illinois romped Florida Atlantic 9-2. Karyn Bird was 2-for-3 with three RBI, Meghan Watson hit 3-for-4 and Sherri Taylor notched her first save of the season after three innings of relief, as the Illini never trailed to the Rattlers.
The Illini got right to work in the first inning, scoring four runs off Florida A&M pitcher Javetta Dryer. Alicia Hammel knocked a bases loaded single into left field that scored Katie O'Connell and Lindsey Hamma to put Illinois up 2-0. After a Kristie Sauter walk loaded the bases again, Bird hit an infield single to score Janna Sartini and increase the Illini lead to three. After a Meghan Watson single loaded the bases a third time, Lauren Gronski walked to score Sauter bringing the lead to 4-0.
Florida A&M answered with two runs in the bottom of the third inning. With the bases loaded and two outs, Raven Rushton singled to left field cutting the deficit to 4-2.
Illinois wasn't finished though, scoring four more runs in the top of the sixth inning. The highlight of the inning was Karyn Bird's two-out triple to right field scoring Hammel and Sauter. Illinois put one more run on the board in the seventh inning as Janna Sartini's fly ball to right field scored third baseman Lauren Gronski.
"We scored early and kept playing good solid defense throughout the game," said Illinois head coach Terri Sullivan. "Sherri really came in and threw well for us in relief and we were able to put some more runs on the board."
In their second game of the day, the Illini fell to the host Florida Atlantic Owls, 10-0 in six innings. Janna Sartini batted 2-for-3 in a losing cause, as the Illini ran in to a hot Owls team who won their fifth straight game.
Nikki Myers put Florida Atlantic on the board in the bottom of the third inning with a two-out solo home run to right field off of Illinois starter Amanda Fortune.
Florida Atlantic scored three more runs in the fourth inning. A two-out double by Owls center fielder Kim Nicosia scored two runners and increased the lead to 4-0.
Illinois looked to rally in the sixth inning as a lead off double by Erin Montgomery and a single by Erin Jones put runners on second and third with no out. However, Owls pitcher Chris Sutcliffe was able to strike out Hamma and get Sartini and Hammel to ground out, spoiling the Illini's rally.
The Owls put the game away in the sixth inning as Kristen Stanley belted a grand slam homer to left field. The loss moves Fortune's record to 3-2 on the season.
"FAU is a tough team and they got great offensive production today," said head coach Sullivan. "We were in the game then just fell apart defensively and they were the better team."
