April 17, 2001

Box Score

Indianapolis, Ind. -

Illinois softball looked all business Tuesday. The Illini took the two-hour journey to the heart of Indianapolis, pounded out 12 hits while giving up just one, and left with a 9-0 five-inning victory over IUPUI.

"Erin Montgomery set the tone right from the get go and our hitters hit line drives into the gaps all day."

Illinois scored two runs in the first, two more in the second, four in the third and one in the fourth. Montgomery went 3-for-4 with a triple, two RBI and three runs scored. Lindsey Hamma, the Big Ten Player of the Week, was 2-for-4 with two RBI and drove in the first run of the game.

The Illini got some big hits up and down the order. Katie O'Connell, batting in the five spot, had an RBI triple en route to a 2-for-3 day, while designated player Lauren Gronski, batting eighth belted a double to the gap and also went 2-for-3.

Kathryn Nevard was brilliant again on the mound. Nevard (21-8) struck out five batters in her three innings of work before giving way to Amanda Fortune who threw two perfect innings before the game was called due to the slaughter rule. The second game of the twinbill was cancelled due to the cold conditions.

Illinois also took advantage of eight IUPUI errors in the game, three of which came in the second inning. Montgomery tripled home a run and scored on a throwing error making it 4-0 after two.

Gronski drove home the first run of the third with a single to left then scored on a base hit from Erin Montgomery. Three of the four runs in the inning were unearned. O'Connell scored the final run on an error in the fourth after tripling to lead off the inning.

"We once again came ready to play," concluded Sullivan. "We had a lot of enthusiasm and with the windy conditions were able to hit a lot of line drives."

Illinois improves to 40-17 on the year heading into a doubleheader Friday with No. 21 Wisconsin at Eichelberger Field.