Feb. 11, 2006
Box Score
WACO, Texas--Illinois faced the hosting #10 Baylor Bears in the second game of Saturday's round robin at Getterman Stadium. With morning's loss to Tulsa still fresh in their minds the Illini took it to the Bears in a 12-6 win.
After a slow offensive showing against Tulsa the Illini put the ball in play and capitalized on Baylor miscues.
The game began in a sew-saw battle for the lead with the Illini answering in every top inning when Baylor took the lead until the fourth when the Illini erupted with seven runs on only two hits.
The inning started when Lana Armstrong got on base on a drop third strike and advanced to second when Laura Zobrist walked. With one out, Molly Lawhead smashed a single through the left side scoring Armstrong. Courtney Hoogeveen then hit a grounder to the pitcher who threw home but a hard sliding Zobrist broke up the play at the plate and scored. Walks to Rachelle Coriddi and Jenna Hall juiced the bases for starting freshman pitcher Kacey Coonce who didn't have trouble finding a spot in the parking lot, blasting a grand slam over the leftfield wall and helping her cause putting the Illini up 9-2.
Baylor answered with two runs of their own in the bottom of the inning but was shut down when Claire DeVreese came in relief for Coonce.
It was a deja vu like feeling in the sixth when with bases loaded Coonce again made her way to the plate. This time she roped a line drive over the centerfielders head scoring Hoogeveen and Coriddi. Later, an Armstrong bloop single to right field scored Hall, increasing the Illini lead 12-4 going in to the last two innings.
In danger of being eight run ruled after the fifth, Baylor answered in the sixth with a single run. With runners on first and third DeVreese struck out Tessa Lynam looking and then froze Chelsi Lake with a debilitating third strike changeup.
Illinois held Baylor to a single run in the bottom of the seventh to win 12-6. The last time Baylor gave up twelve runs was back in 2001 against Oklahoma.
Coonce made her debut on the mound for the Illini going 3.2 innings allowing eight hits and four runs. Coonce led the team offensively, tallying three hits and six RBI's with a grand slam. DeVreese takes the win for the Illini, she is now 1-1 on the year.
Illinois returns to action when they face Wichita State at 9:00 am and Tulsa at 11:00 am.
