April 8, 2006
Final Stats
Columbus, Ohio -
With Ohio State starter Jamee Juarez seemingly in control of the game, Illinois mounted a late-inning charge. After Juarez shutout the Illini on two hits in the first five innings, the Illini tagged Juarez for three runs in the sixth inning. Unfortunately for Illinois, the Buckeyes held on for a 5-3 victory.
Rachelle Coriddi led off the sixth with a single to left field and stole second. The next batter, Jenna Hall, drew her 33rd walk of the year. Shanna Diller lifted a ball deep into center field that just missed leaving the park. Angelena Mexicano, however, got all of the next one and deposited it over the center field wall for a three-run home run. That marked Mexicano's seventh long ball of the season and extended her team lead in RBI to 35.
The Illini also got the lead-off batter on base in the seventh inning as Lana Armstrong walked. Unfortunately for Illinois, Juarez buckled down to get the final three batters and a secure a 5-3 victory for OSU.
The Buckeyes improve to 22-14, 4-2 in the Big Ten. Illinois falls to 14-22, 1-5.
Jenna Hall's single in the fourth and Kisten Martin's single to lead off the fifth were the only other two hits in the game for Illinois.
Although Ohio State had 10 hits, they left nine runners on base thanks to some solid Illinois defense. With the bases loaded and one out in the second, left fielder Laura Zobrist caught a fly ball and fired home to throw out a runner trying to score and thwart the rally. Lana Armstrong blocked the plate and applied the tag. In the fourth, shortstop Angelena Mexicano snagged a line drive to keep Ohio State off the scoreboard. Then in the sixth, Mexicano started an inning-ending double play.
The defense and some key pitches from both Kacey Coonce and Claire DeVreese kept Ohio State out of the big inning. Ohio State scored a run in the second, two in third, one in the fifth, and one in the sixth.
Jamee Juarez doubled and scored a run in the second to make it 1-0 Ohio State after two. Billie Carder (double) and Juarez supplied back-to-back run scoring hits in the third. Lauren Daykin and Courtney Pruner singled home runs in the fifth and sixth, respectively.
Illinois plays a doubleheader at Penn State (21-8, 1-5) on Sunday starting at 11 a.m. CDT.
