Feb. 17, 2002
Box Score
Raleigh, N.C. -
As weather conditions in Raleigh changed from the 70s and clear to the 50s, cloudy and wind gusts up to 20 mph, the Illinois softball team's record changed as well. North Carolina defeated the Illini, 5-2, in the semi-final game of the Gold Bracket of the Triangle Classic. Illinois turned around to lose a 1-0 eight-inning heartbreaker to the Virginia Cavaliers in the loser's bracket of the Gold Bracket. The Illini are now 6-4 on the season.
"I feel we beat ourselves," said head coach Terri Sullivan. "We were a little flat and our defense wasn't as sharp as it should be. It gave North Carolina some confidence. It was not the kind of softball we were used to playing."
In the first game against the Tarheels, the Illini got on the board in the top of the first. Shortstop Lindsey Hamma led off with a walk and stole second off of catcher Natalie Anter, who would later pick Hamma off of second in the third inning. Erin Jones grounded out to pitcher Shannon Walsh, advancing Hamma. Hamma then scored the next play on a Walsh wild pitch.
North Carolina evened the score with one swing in the bottom of the second when third baseman Jessica Young hit a lead off homer off of Sherri Taylor over the left field fence.
Taylor walked Young in the bottom of the fourth. Lauren Looper came in to pinch run to Young and quickly stole second. Amanda Fortune came in for Taylor after Taylor walked Dionne Streete. Fortune struck out the first batter she faced, but gave up a single to right to Ashley Allen and scored Looper. With runners on first and third, Allen was caught in a rundown while trying to steal second. Alicia Hammel tried to throw home to get Streete out, who went home during the run down. Hammel missed the throw, allowing Streete to score and Allen to advance to third.
The Tarheel bats continued in the fifth. Tiffany Tolleson led off with a double to center and was followed by Quinn Porter's RBI double to left. Illinois changed pitchers, bringing in freshman Abby Lovejoy. Anter, the second batter Lovejoy faced, doubled to bring in Porter. Lovejoy loaded the bases by walking Young and Streete slapping a single. Walsh ended the North Carolina fifth by flying out to centerfielder Sarah Baumgartner and Baumgartner catching Young off base for the double play.
Illinois tried to mount a comeback in the seventh. Catcher Janna Sartini led off with a home run to get the Illini within three. Katie O'Connell popped out to short. Baumgartner struck out on a dropped third strike. Jami Bradley grounded out to short to end the game.
Sherri Taylor (2-2) took the loss for the Illini.
The Illini picked themselves up and headed to field three of the Walnut Creek Complex to face the Virginia Cavaliers as soon as their game with North Carolina ended. Both team had their chances to put a run on the board.
"Having the game immediately after the North Carolina game made us rebound (from the loss) right away," said Sullivan. "It showed the maturity of this team to come back and battle a better team in Virginia. (Virginia) has a tough senior pitcher. We had tough defense and it was going to be a matter of who had the luck."
Jones singled through the left side in the top of the first. After Jones stole second, she was left on base after Virginia's Lauren Dennis struck out Sartini and O'Connell. Dennis went the distance for the Cavaliers, pitching all eight innings, striking out nine and allowing five hits.
Kelly McCabe singled for Virginia in the bottom of the first and advanced to second off a Ruby Rojas sacrifice bunt. McCabe was stranded at second when Dennis flied out to left.
Illinois looked to strike again in the second. Designate player Lauren Gronski singled to left. Hammel also singled and both runners advanced a base on a throwing error by shortstop Heather Field. With two outs, the Illini left the pair on base when LeeAnn Butcher struck out swinging.
Both teams continued to collect the hits but not paydirt. After the regulation seven innings were played, the international tiebreaker rule was implemented.
Elene Planinsek was placed on second to start off the eighth inning. Planinsek advanced to third off a Hammel sacrifice bunt. Butcher walked to place runners on the corners. Hamma hit a screaming line drive to the second baseman, who caught Butcher off first for the double play.
The Cavaliers placed first baseman Hannah Owens on second in the bottom of eight. Katie Weinburg's sacrifice bunt sent Owens to third. Sevilla hit to O'Connell at second and O'Connell's throw home was too late to get out Owens.
Taking the loss for the Illini was Amanda Fortune (3-2). Fortune had one K and allowed five hits in 7.1 innings of work.
Illinois heads out to the Softball by the Beach Tournament in Santa Barbara, Calif., next weekend. The Illini will face Cal Poly at 1 p.m. Pacific Time and host California-Santa Barbara at 3 p.m. Pacific Time. "Our Californians are excited to return home and play in their home state," said Sullivan.
