April 7, 2002

Game One Stats
Game Two Stats

Urbana, Ill. - The Illini softball team earned a split of a doubleheader with Northwestern at Eichelberger Field on Sunday. Northwestern won the first game, 2-0, while the Illini edged the Wildcats 5-4 in game two.

Lindsey Hamma hit safely in her eight straight conference game and 15th out of her last 16 overall. Hamma was 4-for-5 with two walks, a hit-by-pitch, and an RBI in the two games. That raises her average to .450 overall and .542 (13 of 24) in conference play.

Northwestern (14-9-1, 5-1) out-hit the Illini 9-5 in the first game. The Wildcats scored all the runs they would need in the fourth inning. Singles by pitcher Laura Schwendiman and J.C. Kira each scored runs and were two of five Wildcat hits in the inning.

Illinois had runners on base in the first six innings, but couldn't get hits back-to-back. Schwendiman struck out eight and scattered five hits to improve her record to 10-2.

Both teams had their hitting shoes on in the second game. The teams combined for 23 hits and nine runs, but left a combined 21 runners on base.

Hamma and Erin Jones led off the game with back-to-back singles, but Northwestern's Brie Brown retired the next three hitters in order. Northwestern loaded the bases with no outs in the first, but Illinois starter Abby Lovejoy got Gretchen Barnes to bounce into a force at home and the next hitter, Erin Mobley, to line-out to Katie O'Connell at second.

Illinois (21-16, 3-5) broke through with a run in the second. Hamma drove home Alicia Hammel, who had the first of four Illinois hits in the inning. Mobley tied the score with a run-scoring single in the third.

The Illini exploded for three unearned runs in the top of the sixth. After Hamma was intentionally walked for the second time in the game to give Illinois runners at the corners, Erin Jones reached on an error, which plated LeAnn Butcher. After a walk to Erin Montgomery loaded the bases, catcher Janna Sartini, who returned from injury on Friday, delivered a single up the middle scoring two. That made it 4-1, Illinois.

Northwestern scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth, the last one on a run-scoring single from Brett Nakabayashi, then left the would-be tying and lead runs on second and third, respectively. Illinois manufactured an insurance run in the top of the seventh. LeAnn Butcher (3-for-4) reached on a bunt single, advanced to second on a throwing error, to third on a single by Katie O'Connell and scored on a passed ball.

As it turned out Illinois would need the run as Mobley belted a solo homer off the scoreboard in the bottom of the seventh. Taylor, who entered the game in relief of Lovejoy in the fourth, retired the final two batters to improve to 11-12 on the season.

Illinois hosts Indiana State on Wednesday (4 p.m.) and Indiana Friday (6 p.m.) and Saturday (Noon).