March 19, 2002

Final Stats

Conway, S.C. - The Illinois softball team ran its winning streak to a season-best five games with a doubleheader sweep of Coastal Carolina on Tuesday afternoon in Conway, S.C. The Illini won the first game 5-0, then took the nightcap, 6-1.

Both sophomore Sherri Taylor and freshman Abby Lovejoy continue to throw the ball well for the Illini. Taylor tossed a five-hit shutout and struck out a season-high six in the opener. Taylor is now 7-4 with a 1.25 ERA

Lovejoy, a walk-on from Normal West High School was impressive again, striking out four and giving up just a solo home run in improving her record to 4-0. She has given up just two earned runs in 28.1 innings of work on the season for a 0.49 earned-run average.

"I'm so grateful for this opportunity," said Lovejoy. "When you have a team that is hitting the ball as well as they have and scoring first, it makes it easier for the pitchers to sit back and challenge hitters."

Lindsey Hamma was 6-for-7 with three RBI and two runs scored on the day. Hamma is now batting .700 (14-of-20) with five RBI and eight runs scored for the Spring Break trip and has improved her average to .412 for the season.

Illinois continued a trend of scoring in the early innings. The Illini got on the board with a run in the second inning in the first game and in the first inning in game two. Illinois pounded out 13 hits in the nightcap with all nine batters reaching base.

Freshman LeeAnn Butcher also had a big day, going 5-for-7 with three runs scored batting in the number nine slot in the line-up. "We're getting hits up and down the line-up," said Illinois Head Coach Terri Sullivan. "We're also executing in key situations."

That execution was evident in the second inning of game one. Center fielder Sarah Baumgartner doubled to lead off the inning, advanced to third on an Alicia Hammel sacrifice bunt, then scored on a sacrifice fly from Lauren Gronski.

Butcher and Hamma led off the third with back-to-back singles and scored thanks to a pair of Chanticleer errors. The Illini put the game away with two runs in the sixth, scoring two after two were out. Katie O'Connell and Hamma each had RBI singles in the inning.

Taylor got out of a bases loaded situation in the seventh without giving up a run. The Illini wasted little time in game two as well. Jami Bradley (2-for-4, RBI) tripled home Hamma for a first-inning run.

The Illini pounded out four hits in the second inning, good for two more runs. Hamma drove in Butcher with a single to right in the fourth, making it 4-0.

Coastal Carolina's Holly Lee led off her team's half of the fourth with a solo homer, making it 4-1. Illinois sent eight batters to the plate in the sixth to pick up two insurance runs. O'Connell's double and Erin Jones' run scoring single were the big blows.

"The best thing for a softball player is to play a lot of games," added Sullivan. "Right now our batting, pitching and defense has remained sharp because of that."

Illinois is next in action Friday afternoon at the Buzz Classic in Marietta, Ga.