May 11, 2001

Box Score

Ann Arbor, Mich. - The University of Illinois softball team staved off elimination with a 3-0 win over Wisconsin in the double elimination Big Ten Tournament at Ann Arbor, Mich. The Illini advance to meet the winner of the Penn State-Ohio State winner at 4 p.m. CST today. Wisconsin ends its season at 32-25.

Illinois (48-22) defeated Wisconsin for the fourth time in as many meetings, allowing just two runs in the four games. Amanda Fortune recorded her seventh shutout of the season and the Illini's 22 shutout of the 2001 season, scattering four hits while walking three.

Lindsey Hamma, whose name did not appear on last night's All-Big Ten selections, let her bat do the talking on Friday morning, going 3-for-3 with a double and an RBI. That came on the heels of a 2-for-3, one RBI performance Thursday vs. Penn State.

Hamma drove home the first run of the game on a base hit down the right field line, which allowed Erin Montgomery to score from second. Montgomery reached on a one-out single to right field and moved into scoring position by stealing her seventh base of the season.

Illinois pounded out nine hits to drive Wisconsin ace Andrea Kirchberg from the game in the seventh inning. Seven different Illinois players had hits on the morning. The Illini added one run in the fifth and another in the sixth.

Illinois scored without the benefit of a hit in the fifth. Katie O'Connell walked. Lauren Gronski sacrificed her second, and was safe when Wisconsin tried unsuccessfully to throw O'Connell out at second. Sarah Baumgartner bunted both runners over before Alicia Hammell sent a sacrifice fly to left, scoring O'Connell.

Back to back doubles from Hamma and Janna Sartini resulted in the third Illinois run in the seventh.