March 12, 2001
Box Score
Conway, S.C.-- In a windy and wet South Carolina, the University of Illinois women's softball team was defeated in its first two games of the Spring Chicken Classic on the campus of Coastal Carolina University. The Illini fell to Bowling Green State, 9-0 in six innings, and were edged out by East Carolina, 3-2.
The Illini got on top of the Pirates of East Carolina early, scoring two runs in the top of the third inning. After waiting out a 37 minute rain delay, Erin Jones one-out RBI single to right field brought home Sarah Baumgartner to give the Illini a 1-0 lead. With the bases loaded, catcher Janna Sartini was hit by a pitch, increasing Illinois' lead to 2-0.
The Pirates came back in the bottom of the fourth inning with three runs. Three consecutive RBI doubles gave the Pirates a 3-2 lead.
Kathryn Nevard pitched two and two-thirds innings of shutout ball in relief and Erin Jones batted 2-for-4 for but the Illini were unable to get on the scoreboard.
In the first game of the day, Bowling Green State defeated Illinois 9-0 in six innings. Center fielder Erin Montgomery and right fielder Karyn Bird each were 2-for-3 for the Illini in a losing cause.
The Illini threatened in the bottom of the first inning loading the bases on pitcher Jessie Milosek. However Milosek was able to strike out Bird and get Meghan Watson to ground out to second to keep the game knotted up at 0-0.
Bowling Green State got on the scoreboard in the top of the second inning. Libby Voshell knocked a homerun to left field to give the Falcons a 2-0 lead. Voshell came up to bat again in the fourth inning and hit another two-run homer to increase Bowling Green State's lead to 5-0.
The Falcons put four more runs on the scoreboard in the top of the sixth inning bringing the lead to 9-0.
With the two defeats the Illini's record moves to 13-8 on the season. Illinois continues play in the Spring Chicken Classic, Tuesday morning vs. Virginia at 11:30 a.m. Illinois will then finish up round-robin play against the host Coastal Carolina at 4:30 p.m. Single elimination begins on Wednesday.
