May 9, 2002

Final Stats | All Big 10 Softball Teams

Ann Arbor, Mich. - Illinois has advanced in the Big Ten Softball Tournament. After a one hour and 42-minute rain delay, the Illini responded by upsetting 22nd ranked Iowa, 3-2. Illinois will play Ohio State at approximately 2:45 p.m. CDT. Iowa meets the loser of the Wisconsin-Penn State game at 11 a.m. on Friday.

Illinois (33-22) came into the game with just 13 home runs in 52 games, but nailed back-to-back homers in the second inning. That inning started with a walk to Janna Sartini on four pitches. Montgomery failed twice to try to sacrifice her over, but took the two-strike pitch off Iowa All-American Kristi Hanks and hit it out to the deepest part of the ballpark.

"I didn't think ball would carry that far," said Montgomery. "I've been seeing the ball a lot better lately and have adjusted my hands a little. To hit the homer off an All-American is pretty awesome, but any time you can trot around the bases is something special."

The next hitter, Katie O'Connell, took a 3-2 offering over the left-field fence to make it 3-0 Illinois. The Illini, who went 0-2 against Iowa this year, led 3-0 in the second game of the series with Hawkeyes in Champaign, only to fall 5-4 on April 6. Iowa came back again on Thursday with two runs in the bottom of the second. Liz Dennis doubled home Christina Schmaltz from first. Two outs later, Kristen Johnson drove home Laura Chipman from third.

Illinois managed just three hits on Friday while Iowa had eight, but just three hits after the second. The Illini's Sherri Taylor retired eight in a row at one time and struck out five for the game.

"Sherri has really matured mentally," said Illinois Head Coach Terri Sullivan. "We had to win four in a row just to get here, and Sherri has some of her best performances over the last two weekends."

The game was not without its drama. Iowa's Lindsey Bashor doubled with one out and advanced to third on a ground out. But Taylor struck out Sarah Thompson swinging for the game's final out.

"Going into any tournament, whether it be pre-season or post-season, we try to focus on winning the first game," said Sullivan. "It was a hard-fought contest. We're not normally a home run hitting team, but we'll take it."