March 30, 2001

Box Score

URBANA, Ill. - Illinois showed some offensive firepower in Friday's Big Ten opener with Michigan State. The Illini pounded out 24 hits in sweeping the Spartans, 4-1 and 10-2 at Eichelberger Field.

Sarah Baumgartner hit her second home run of the week, a three-run blast to the deepest part of the ballpark, highlighting a five-run seventh inning for the Illini in the nightcap. Erin Montgomery and Lindsey Hamma were especially potent for the Illini.

Montgomery reached base in seven of nine plate appearances, going 1-for-3 with a walk in the first game and 4-for-4 with a walk, a run scored and two RBI in the nightcap. Hamma also reached base seven out of nine times, going 2-for-3 with a run scored in the opener and 3-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored in the nightcap.

Amanda Fortune and Kathryn Nevard continue their hot pace on the mound. Fortune allowed just one run and six hits while striking out three in the opener, while Nevard scattered eight hits and struck out six in the second game. Neither player allowed a walk. For the year the Illini have walked just 43 batters in 266.1 innings.

Illinois jumped on the Spartans early in both games. In game one, the Illini put a three-spot in the board. Janna Sartini doubled, scoring both Montgomery and Lindsey Hamma, then scored on an error.

The Illini dodged two Michigan State bullets. The Spartans loaded the bases on singles by Lacy Hauxhurst, Amanda Melton, and Margaret Schick with nobody out in the third, but could manage just one run. The inning ended when the shortstop Hamma threw to the catcher Sartini, who tagged the runner trying to attempt the double steal. Michigan State had back to back doubles in the fourth, but a squeeze bunt attempt failed when Fortune flipped to Sartini to tag out a runner trying to score. Baumgartner drove home Katie O'Connell with a single in the sixth to round out the Illinois scoring in game one.

Illinois (30-12), who had 15 hits in the second game, scored two runs in the first. Like d?j? vu, Sartini again doubled to the right-center field gap plating a pair of runs. MSU's Brittney Green became the first opposing player to homer in the new ballpark with a towering shot over the left-field fence to cut the lead in half.

Illinois added one run in the third, but Montgomery's double which plated two gave the Illini breathing room against Michigan State, who had eight hits.

Then came the big five-run seventh. The Illini sent 10 batters to the plate. Besides' Baumgartner's homer, Hamma doubled home a run, and Erin Jones drove home another on a sacrifice fly.

It took Illinois 25 games to win its first 15 games, but just 17 to win its second 15. At 30-12, the Illini have won more games than any Big Ten team to date. Michigan State falls to 10-24. If the winning is to continue, Illinois must do it against a potent Michigan team, who won the Big Ten Tournament and came within a game of the College World Series in 2000. The Illini and Wolverines play single games Saturday (2 p.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m.) at Eichelberger Field.