Feb. 8, 2004

Baton Rouge, La. - Lauren Gronski doubled twice as Illinois tied No. 4 Oklahoma 2-2 to split the championship of the LSU Tiger Classic Sunday. The teams finished seven innings with the score knotted and had to end the game in order to honor flight arrangements.

Illinois had three players named to the All-Tournament Team -- pitcher Amanda Fortune, shortstop Lindsey Hamma, and first baseman Jenna Hall. Fortune allowed just one earned run in her final 17 innings of work in the tournament, which included a three-hit shutout of Southeastern Louisiana and a complete-game victory over LSU. Hamma batted .471 for the weekend with a triple, four RBI and four runs scored. Hall hit .421 with two doubles and three RBI.

After allowing a run to the Sooners in the third inning, Illinois battled back in the fourth when Rachelle Coriddi blooped a lead-off double into right-center field. Jenna Hall then walked and Molly Lawhead pinch-ran for her.

Following Erin Montgomery's sacrifice and a strikeout by Erin Jones, Janna Sartini walked to load the bases. Lauren Gronski then smacked her second double of the game and the Illini's second of the inning to drive in Coriddi and Lawhead. But Sartini was gunned at the plate by on the shortstop's relay from the left fielder and Illinois' lead stood 2-1.

The Illini got solid pitching, as Sherri Taylor and Amanda Fortune teamed up to limit the Sooners to two runs on seven hits. Oklahoma strung together two of those hits with a walk in the fifth inning and tied the Illini, 2-2.

Katie O,Connell was a vacuum at second base for the Illini, assisting on five putouts -- the most of any player in the game - and she had two especially fine plays in which she made diving stops before shoveling to Hall at first base.

Illinois threatened again in the sixth, when Erin Montgomery doubled to the wall in left field, but pinch runner LeeAnn Butcher was thrown out at home trying to score on Janna Sartini's single to center field and the score stayed knotted, 2-2.

It was the second time in two years the Illini have tied a top-10 ranked team. Illinois played No. #6 DePaul 1-1 in 2003.

The Illini won't have to leave the series with Oklahoma at a tie, as both teams will compete in the Sunshine State Classic in Tallahassee, Fla., Feb. 13-15, and in the KIA Classic March 17-21 in Fullerton, Calif.