April 25, 2001

Box Score

Urbana, Ill. - The Illinois softball team played its final games at its brand new ballpark, Eichelberger Field, on Wednesday. The Illini didn't get the results they were looking for as they split a doubleheader with the Loyola Ramblers. Illinois ends the year 14-4 at home.

Illinois hit the ball hard at times on Wednesday, but had just two runs to show for it. In fact, the Illini have scored just eight runs in their last six games. Despite that fact it looked as if it was going to be Illinois' day after game one.

For the fourth straight game, the Illini ventured into extra innings. Erin Jones tripled to lead off the eighth inning and scored on a wild pitch to give Illinois a 2-1 win in the opener. Amanda Fortune came on in relief of starter Kathryn Nevard and pitched one inning of shutout ball to record the win. Nevard allowed just one unearned run on eight hits in her seven innings of work.

The first two runs of the game were unearned. The Illini's Meghan Watson reached base on an error in the third inning, advanced to second and scored on a Jones' single to center, making it 1-0 Illinois.

Loyola (14-19) had runners in scoring position in each of the next four innings and finally scored in the sixth. Kim Cummings reached on an error to start the inning, advanced to second on a ground out, and scored when the left-handed hitting Susan Scott pulled a double to right field. Illinois catcher Janna Sartini threw out two runners trying to steal to squelch a pair of would-be Loyola rallies.

Katie O'Connell was 2-for-3 and Meghan Watson 2-for-3 with a double for the Illini in the opener. Erin Jones had the big bat for the Illini in the doubleheader. Jones was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored in the first game then had Illinois' only two hits in the second game.

Illinois trailed for the first time against a non-conference opponent at home when Loyola scored first in game two. The Ramblers' Aimee Martel doubled home Scott in the second inning to provide what proved to be the game's only run against Fortune (19-11).

Loyola hurler Carole Gorecki (5-6) retired the first nine batters she faced and allowed just two hits in recording the shutout. Illinois loaded the bases with one out in the fourth on two walks and a Jones bunt single, but failed to score. Then in the sixth Jones doubled to left center, stole third and was there with just one out, but was left stranded. Loyola won the nightcap, 1-0.

The Illini fall to 44-19 on the season and will try to wrap up a spot in the Big Ten Tournament with games at Purdue and Indiana this weekend.