April 7, 2001
Box Score
Columbus, Ohio -
For 12 innings, Illinois managed just four hits against Ohio State pitching and seemed headed for an 0-2 day against the Buckeyes. The Illini continued to battle and broke through for four runs in the sixth inning of game two to earn a split with Ohio State. The Illini won the second game, 4-3, after falling 5-0 in the first game.
The Illini (33-15, 3-3) gain some momentum heading into two games this weekend at Penn State, Saturday night (6 p.m.) and Sunday afternoon (noon).
"You never stop believing," said Illinois head coach Terri Sullivan. "Our goal is to get the tying run to the plate in our last at-bat and anything can happen."
Trailing 3-0 in the bottom of the sixth inning of the second game, the Illini bats came alive for three hits and four runs. With one out Erin Jones walked, then Lindsey Hamma singled to center field, setting the stages for the middle of the order to the damage. Janna Sartini singled off the right-center field wall, driving home one run and advancing to second on the throw. Katie O'Connell then stepped up and drilled a three-run home run in the power alley of left-center field, ending an almost improbable comeback victory over the Buckeyes.
"We felt we were getting some good cuts all day," Sullivan added. "It just took an igniter to get it going."
Ohio State wasn't done, however. Chrissy Fowler doubled with one out, but the Illini's Kathryn Nevard (17-7) got the next two hitters to bounce to second and fly to center, respectively.
Ohio State pounded out nine hits in the first game, four of which went for extra bases. The Buckeyes had five hits and scored three runs in the second inning of game one. Kristi DeVries doubled to open up the inning for OSU, then third baseman Kristine Himes homered on a line shot over the left-field fence. Anna Smith doubled in the third Ohio State run of the inning, making it 3-0 OSU.
The Buckeyes added two unearned runs in the fifth. Himes and DeVries each singled home runs in the inning. Amanda Fortune (14-8) gave up all five runs and nine hits in 5 1/3 innings. Erin Montgomery and Lindsey Hamma had the only two hits for the Illini. Katie Chain struck out five in garnering the win.
Illinois' Kathryn Nevard looked solid for the first three innings of game two. Nevard gave up just two hits no runs in the first three frames. Then OSU erupted for three runs in the fourth. The Buckeyes had four hits in the inning. Himes and Amy Ellis each went the opposite way for RBI hits down the line, Himes with a double and Ellis with a single.
Nevard settled down from there, allowing just two hits in the final four innings and struck out four in posting the complete game victory.
"The win is huge for us, proving that we can come back after losing the first game," concluded Sullivan. "Ohio State has some powerful hitters and DeVries has been tough on the mound."
