May 12, 2001
Box Score
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - The University of Iowa softball team will face host Michigan in the Big Ten Softball Tournament championship game for the second consecutive season after defeating No. 4 seed Illinois 11-2 today (May 11). Iowa scored eight runs in the seventh inning, including a home run by Christina Schmaltz to cap the win. Iowa pitcher Kristi Hanks won her 33rd game of the season as she went seven complete and allowed two runs on seven hits.
Iowa was the first on the board as Kristin Johnson began the first inning with a single to rightfield and then stole second before scoring on a double by Alicia Gerlach. Katy Jendrzejewski kept it going for the Hawkeyes as she singled to right field, scoring Gerlach. The hot Iowa bats forced Illinois to make a change in the circle early as pitcher Kathryn Nevard replaced starter Amanda Fortune. It appeared that Iowa would carry it's momentum into the second inning as Christina Schmaltz, who went 2-3 in the game, and Katie Boney had back-to-back singles. But Amber Morrow lined into a double play to end the inning.
Illinois played solid defense and Nevard settled things down as Illinois held Iowa scoreless for five straight innings to stay in the game. The Fighting Illini bats, however, could not cut into the deficit before the Hawkeyes scored eight runs on eight hits and one error in the top of the seventh
Christina Schmaltz led off with a double to center field and later scored after Amber Morrow singled. Kristin Johnson then tripled to score Morrow before scoring herself on Erin Doud's groundout RBI to second. Iowa then had five consecuitve hits from Gerlach, Jendrzejewski, Lisa Rasche, and Jessica Bashor before Schmaltz capped the streak with a three-run shot over the rightfield fence, building the lead to 11-0.
Illinois avoided the shutout with two runs in the seventh off singles from Lindsey Hammel and Sarah Baumgartner as well as a double from Kristie Sauter. Hanks got Erin Montogmery and Erin Jones to pop and ground out, respectively, to secure Iowa's place in the championship game against Michigan at 2:30 p.m.
The championship game is today (2:30 p.m.) at Alumni Field and will be broadcast (tape-delay) Sunday (May 13) at 8:30 eastern daylight time.
Quotes:
Illinois coach Terri Sullivan on the season: "The tournament was another good step for us as a team and a program. The team represented the University of Illinois in outstanding fashion. For us to comeback the way we did yesterday showed great perseverance. To make it to the last day with great teams like Iowa and Michigan puts us in good company.
