April 6, 2002
Final Stats
Urbana, Ill. -
Illinois softball gave fans at Eichelberger Field a thrilling ball game. Unfortunately, when the dust had cleared, visiting Iowa had completed a two-game sweep of the Illini, winning on Saturday 5-4.
The Illini got another banner day from shortstop Lindsey Hamma, who was 3-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored. Illinois out-hit the Hawkeyes, 8-5, and pitcher Sherri Taylor retired the side in order three of the six innings.
Under Big Ten rules, Illinois was the visiting on the scoreboard in the second game of the conference series. The Illini took advantage by scoring in the first inning for the 15th time this year. Erin Jones singled to left and stole second. Lindsey Hamma walked and Erin Montgomery reached on an error to load the bases. Sarah Baumgartner drove in the first run on a ground out, then Hamma crossed the plate on a passed ball, making it 2-0 Illini.
Illinois added to the lead in the third with a run-scoring single by Elene Planinsek, her fourth RBI of the week. Iowa erased that lead in one inning, the fourth, when the Hawkeyes scored four times. Jessica Bashor drove in the first run on a single putting runners on the corners for Christina Schmalz, who smashed a three-run home run to left, giving a Iowa a 4-3 lead.
The Illini battled back to tie the score with a run in the fifth as first baseman Alicia Hammel singled to left field, scoring Hamma.
Iowa (21-12, 4-0 in the Big Ten) rebounded with a run in the sixth. Again Schmalz did the damage with a two-out RBI single, scoring Gerlach from second.
The Illini threatened in the seventh. Lindsey Hamma led the off the inning with a double to center off Iowa reliever Kristi Hanks, but Hanks shut the door from there, retiring the final three batters of the game, the last two on strikeouts.
"We fought hard all day," said Illinois Head Coach Terri Sullivan. "We wanted to give ourselves a chance to win it in the seventh, which we did, but couldn't quite pull out the victory."
Illinois takes a 20-15 overall record and 2-4 Big Ten mark into Sunday's home doubleheader with Northwestern. The Wildcats are off to a fast start in the league at 4-0. First pitch of game one is at noon.
