April 21, 2002

Box Score

Columbus, Ohio - Rain preceded yet another Illinois softball game as the Fighting Illini faced Ohio State Sunday afternoon. The twinbill was originally scheduled for Noon Central did not get underway until 1:30 p.m. Central. The Buckeyes swept the series, 6-5 in eight innings and 5-2 in game two. Illinois now stands at 28-19 overall and 6-8 in the conference.

Illinois put of the first run of the game in the first. Freshman right fielder LeeAnn Butcher laid down a bunt single to the catcher to start the inning. Butcher then stole second and advanced to third on a passed ball. Third baseman Erin Jones hit a sacrifice fly out to left to score Butcher. Catcher Janna Sartini tried to keep the runs going with a two-out single to short, but it ended when Erin Montgomery popped out to second.

The Illini added to their lead in the top of the third off of four Buckeye errors. Butcher once again led off the inning with a single to center field. Jones reached on an error by the OSU first baseman Kristi DeVries on a sacrifice bunt that moved Butcher to third. Jones stole second and advanced to third while Butcher scored on an error by shortstop JJ Johnson. Illinois shortstop Lindsey Hamma hit a single up the middle to score Jones. Sartini singled to right field. Hamma moved to third on an error by the right fielder and scored. The error allowed Sartini to move to third. Julie Balicki entered to pinch run for Sartini and scored on an error by catcher Stacy Roth.

Ohio State came roaring back in the bottom half of the inning, scoring four runs on four hits. Link hit a one-out double down the left field line. Anna Smith singled to second and Link ran to third. With runners on the corners, pitcher Wendy Allen knocked a two RBI double to center field. Roth followed Allen's double with a home run to left center.

The game was tied in the sixth inning. Breana Pozzi singled down the left field line. Meghan Rowlands pinch ran for Pozzi. Illini pitcher Sherri Taylor walked the next batter DeVries. With Buckeyes on first and second, third baseman Kristine Himes doubled down the left field line, scoring Rowlands to tie the game. Jenn Elwell, pinch running for DeVries, was thrown out at home trying to advance on a fielder's choice. Sartini picked off Himes at third for the second out. Sartini also threw out Link, after reached on a Hamma error, while trying to steal second.

Illinois tried to score in the top of the eighth. Jones had a lead off walk. Sartini hit a one-out single to left, moving Jones to second. The rally was short lived as Montgomery grounded out to a double play to second.

Any hopes for a ninth inning were dashed as OSU right fielder Chrissy Fowler hit a lead off home run to left field to end game one.

For game one, Taylor (15-14) went all seven innings and gave up nine hits.

Trying to put a heartbreaking loss behind them, Illinois heading into game two. But the Buckeyes continued where they had left off in game one.

Ohio State put two runs on the board in the top of the second. Roth bunted back to pitcher Abby Lovejoy (Bloomington, Ill.) to start the inning. Fowler, the hero of game one, singled to center. The runners moved to second and third on a double steal. DeVries hit a sacrifice to first and allowed Roth to score. Pozzi singled up the middle to score Fowler.

The Buckeyes added another run to their lead the following inning. Roth reached on an error by Butcher in right field and moved to second on the error. Fowler singled to left and brought around Roth to score.

The Illini showed some life in the fourth inning. Butcher lead off the inning with a slapped single to short. Jones reached on a fielder's choice to third, but Butcher was thrown out at second. Sartini hit a two-out shot down the right field line to put Illini on the corners. But the Illini couldn't put a tally on the board as Montgomery grounded out to third to end the inning.

OSU added their last two runs in the sixth inning. Himes hit a two-out double to center. Rowland entered the game once again as a pinch runner. Catcher Annie Dedic singled up the middle to score Rowland. Link singled through the left side. With Dedic on second and Link on first, Smith singled up the middle and moved to second on the throw home in which Dedic scored.

Illinois wasn't going to give up. In the seventh, Hamma and Sartini had back to back singles up the middle and left field, respectively. Balicki pinch ran for Sartini again. First baseman Alicia Hammel knocked a single to left center, sending in Hamma. Sophomore Katie O'Connell singled to third, moving Balicki to third and Hammel to second. Centerfielder Sarah Baumgartner singled to center with the bases loaded to score Balicki. Lauren Gronski struck out for the second out. Kristie Sauter came into pinch hit for Butcher, but grounded out to third for the final out.

Lovejoy (9-1) received her first collegiate loss. She went the distance for the Illini, giving up 12 hits and one walk.

Illinois returns to Eichelberger Field for a midweek doubleheader with IUPUI on Wednesday, April 24 at 4 p.m.