March 24, 2007
Box Score
March 24, 2007
Contact: Matt Wille (mjwille2@uiuc.edu)
Tempe, Ariz.- The Illini go 1-1 during the second day of play at the Diamond Devil Invitational. Illinois established quick leads in the first inning of both games, but couldn't hold on against the Sun Devils. Illinois (20-11) won 7-2 over BYU (16-14) in the first game of the day and lost 6-2 to #5 Arizona State (32-7). For bracket play on Sunday, ASU is the one seed with Illinois coming in at two and Longwood at three.
Lana Armstrong (1-3, HR, 2 RBI) wasted no time to extend her hitting streak to 16 games against BYU. Armstrong's 2-run homer in the bottom of the first plated Shanna Diller (1-2, 2 runs) who had reached on a catcher's interference call.
Two singles and two walks by BYU gave freshman pitcher Ashley Wright (7-6) some trouble in the top of the second. She escaped the bases loaded jam by getting Cougar left fielder Jenn Whiteley to line out back to her, while giving up only one run in the inning.
A leadoff single by Makenzie Smith (2-3, 2 runs, 2 RBI) started off the bottom of the fourth. With one out in the inning, Sydney Lisy walked, followed by Molly Lawhead's second single, which loaded the bases. Bailey Behrens, pinch-hitting for Sarah Bryers, lined out sharply to the shortstop for the second out of the inning. Then, right fielder, Hope Howell, doubled to center, which scored Smith and Lisy to give the Illini a 4-1 lead. Lawhead was thrown out at the plate on the play to end the inning.
Wright retired the first two Cougar hitters in the fifth, but then ran into some trouble. Two singles followed by a walk loaded the bases for BYU. The Cougars were once again unable to capitalize as Wright forced Shay Jenkins to ground out to Diller at third allowing the Illini to escape unscathed.
The Illini tacked on three more runs in the fifth. Diller and Mexicano started the inning off with back-to-back singles. Smith hit both runners home with a double down the left field line. Katie Gaitros pinch-ran for Martin after she singled, and moved Smith to third. Gaitros was caught stealing at second on the next pitch, but Smith was able to score on the play to put the Illini up 7-1.
Wright gave up a solo homerun to Emmy Snow to start off the top of the seventh. Then, Jodi Norton grounded out to second. After a Courtney Clark single, Dani Snow lined into a game-ending double play to Diller at third who threw to first to double up Clark. Wright finished her second complete game in as many days. She scattered ten hits, while only giving up two runs against the Cougars. Wright struck out five for the second straight day as well.
The Illini got outs at all the right times. BYU had eleven men left on base for the game compared to only three for Illinois.
After the BYU game, Coach Sullivan commented on playing Arizona State. "We are excited about facing another ranked opponent and are confident about the game with the momentum we have going."
Angelena Mexicano (1-4, HR, RBI) started the second game off with a leadoff homerun against ASU starter Katie Burkhart (16-4). This homerun tied the Illinois single season homerun record of 49, which was set by the 2006 Illini team. With 33 games remaining this season, the Orange and Blue are on pace for 100 homeruns.
Later in the first, Lawhead plated Armstrong after an error by the shortstop to give the Illini an early 2-0 lead. After going 0-3 in the game, Lawhead is still batting .700 (7 for 10) for the tournament.
Starter Vicki Brown (12-4) gave up a 2-run homer to shortstop Rhiannon Baca in the second, which tied the game at 2-2. Brown only gave up one run in the fifth after the bases were loaded. She escaped anymore damage by inducing a double play as Baca grounded to Diller who stepped on third and threw to first to end the inning. Brown was not so lucky in the sixth when third baseman Bianca Cruz came up with the bases loaded. She hit a two out double that cleared the bases and put the Sun Devils up 6-2.
Lana Armstrong extended her record hitting streak to 17 games with a single in the fifth, but the Illini failed to put anyone else across the plate. Burkhart struck out the side in the sixth and finished the game with a perfect seventh.
Wright is 2-0 with an ERA of 1.00 after her second complete game of the tournament. Illinois has a team ERA of 2.80 after going 3-1 over the first two days.
Illinois will face Longwood at noon (CST) on Sunday at Farrington Stadium. The winner will face Arizona State right afterwards at 2 PM for the championship.
