Feb. 22, 2002
Box Score
Santa Barbara, Calif. -
Heading out to the Softball by the Beach Invitational in Santa Barbara, Calif., Illinois softball faced 80 degrees temperatures and sunny skies. They also played some softball. The Illini defeated Cal Poly, 3-1, and California-Santa Barbara, 3-0. Illinois' record is now 8-4.
"I thought the team played well despite the circumstances," said assistant coach Donna DiBaise. Head coach Terri Sullivan did not make the trip to California, due to the death of her father. "We played very aggressive, both offensively and defensively. We made the plays that we needed to make and did so when we had to make the plays."
Illinois' first game of the tournament was the 3-1 downing of Cal Poly. The game remained at zero until the bottom of the fourth inning. Sophomore third baseman Erin Jones started off the year by singling up the middle. Sophomore designated hitter Erin Montgomery, making her first appearance of the season off of the injury list, sacrifice bunted Jones to second. Second baseman Katie O'Connell singled to advance Jones and Jones scored on the throw.
Illinois added insurance runs in the fifth inning. Freshman right fielder Julie Balicki singled to left. Elene Planinsek came in to pinch run for Balicki. Alicia Hammel grounded out to third, advancing Planinsek. Kristie Sauter, pinch-hitting for LeeAnn Butcher, knocked a single, advanced to second and drove in Planinsek. Butcher came in to run for Sauter. Lindsey Hamma grounded out to third and advanced Butcher. Butcher then scored on a throwing error by the Mustangs first baseman Holly Ballard.
Cal Poly tried to mount a comeback in the top of the sixth. Ballard had a two out single. AmyJo Nazarenus pinch ran for Ballard. Catcher Janna Sartini attempted to pick off Nazarenus at first but Hammel was unable to make the play, allowing Nazarenus to advance to second. Second baseman Casey Poet doubled, scoring Nazarenus, the only Mustang tally.
Amanda Fortune (4-2) went the distance for the Illini, striking out two and allowing six hits.
Following the Cal Poly game, the Illini faced tournament host UCSB in their final game of the day. A big third inning led to the Illini victory, 3-0. Sherri Taylor (3-2) pitched the three-hitter and struck out two.
In the bottom of the third, Hammel doubled to center field. Butcher bunted and reached on an error by the second baseman on the play. Hammel scored on the throw. After Butcher stole second, Hamma doubled and drove in Butcher. Jones followed Hamma's double with her own double. Hamma scored but Jones was thrown out at third, trying to squeeze an extra base.
Both teams made defensive stops to end the innings. Loren Thornburg relieved starter Sylvia Santos (2-3), who took the loss for the Gauchos. Thornburg struck out three.
Illinois will face Sacramento State at 9 a.m. Pacific time and ends the day against Santa Clara at 7 p.m.
