March 28, 2006

Final Stats

Chicago - Illinois played its first northern games of the season and swept a doubleheader at Loyola, winning 12-2 in five innings in the opener and taking game two 3-2. Angelena Mexicano drove in seven runs in the two games as the Illini gained momentum heading into the Big Ten and home opener Friday vs. Iowa.

"I'm pleased with how our entire team swung the bat with confidence and aggressiveness using all fields," said Illinois Head Coach Terri Sullivan. "It was good to see us put a lot of hits together. Our defense was outstanding. Our outfielders did a good job getting reads on difficult balls. Our pitchers and catchers stayed in control and stuck with the game plan despite pressure situations as well."

Claire DeVreese (9-7) gave up just three hits in the complete-game victory in the opener and allowed just two base runners in three innings of relief in picking up the save in the finale. Illinois improves to 13-15 while Loyola falls to 4-20.

The Illini defense was also critical in holding the Ramblers in check in the second game. With the game tied at 2-2 and Loyola runners at second and third in the bottom of the first, Mexicano dove to snare a line drive and flipped to Shanna Diller at third to complete a double play. In the fourth inning, Loyola's Katarina Krause singled to right field, but Molly Lawhead delivered a bullet of a throw to Mexicano, who tagged Krause out trying to extend it to a double. Fittingly, with the tying run on base in the bottom of the seventh, the defense came through again as Rachelle Coriddi ran a long way to catch a line drive to center then fired to Kisten Martin at first for the game-ending double play. DeVreese picked up steam in the final innings, striking out three in the final two frames.

Illinois left little doubt about the outcome of the first game, scoring four runs in the first, four more in the second, and three in the third to take a commanding 11-0 lead.

Coriddi, who was 4-for-4 with two doubles and three runs scored, led off the game with a double to left. Shanna Diller followed with a single to right, scoring Corddi and the Illini never looked back, tying a season-high for runs in a game while pounding out 12 hits. Mexicano (2-for-3, HR, 2B, two runs) delivered the first of her big blows with a three-run homer to left, putting Illinois ahead 4-0 after one.

Mexicano delivered a hard double down the right field line, plating Coriddi and Katie Gaitros and scored on a throwing error in the second. In the third pinch hitter Makenzie Smith blasted a three-run home run just inside the left-field foul pole to give the Illini an 11-0 advantage. Sydney Lisy continued the pinch hitting barrage with a single to left field, scoring Courtney Hoogeveen in the fifth to round out the scoring.

"Angelena had a great day using the whole field and making solid contact," Sullivan said.

Loyola had a pair of home runs, but that's all the Ramblers could muster.

The second game started out like a mirror image of the first with Illinois jumping to an early 2-0 advantage with a pair of runs in the first inning. Mexicano delivered a two-out single to center, scoring Diller and Gaitros. The Illini, however, left the bases loaded in both the first and second innings and managed just one hit the rest of way against reliever Krista Crossen.

Loyola proved to be a worthy opponent with a two spot in the bottom of the first, but the Ramblers too had trouble scoring the rest of the way thanks to sparkling Illinois defense and pitching of starter Kacey Coonce (4-8) and DeVreese.

Martin delivered the game winner with a two-out double to the left-center field gap scoring Kristin Schnake in the fifth.