March 8, 2008
Box Score
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Illinois churned out a season-high 14 runs against BYU to capture a 14-5 victory on the second day of the Aggie Classic. The Illini dropped a 7-3 decision to No. 3/4 Texas A&M (25-3) in game two, falling to 13-10 on the season.
"We do better when we focus on what we need to do and I think our team did a good job of that today, not getting too caught up in what our opponent is doing and just playing our game," head coach Terri Sullivan said. "We played a very solid game against BYU, and I was very pleased with our adjustment and game plan. We scored first and stayed aggressive."
After falling 10-0 to the Cougars (12-9) on Friday, Illinois wasted no time getting the bats going in the first game of the day against BYU, pounding seven runs in the first inning. Shortstop Angelena Mexicano got the offense rolling with a double to centerfield before catcher Lana Armstrong smacked a two-out single to put runners at the corners. The next six batters reached base safely, as designated player Hollie Pinchback knocked in the game's first run, lining a double down the right line. Rightfielder Hope Howell followed with an RBI-single through the left side, then leftfielder Makenzie Smith and centerfielder Sarah Bryers took back-to-back walks to plate another run. First baseman Audrey Gallien kept the inning going when she reached on an error then scored when second baseman Danielle Zymkowitz's bloop single to shallow right-centerfield, giving the Illini an early 7-0 lead.
Starting pitcher Ashley Wright (4-3) carried a no-hitter into the fourth when BYU third baseman Angeline Quiocho knocked a two-out single. The Cougars got on the board after a pair of walks and hit batsman put a run across, then designated player Stephanie Hopkins cut Illinois' lead to two with a grand slam.
"Ashley pitched really well, giving up just the pair of hits," Sullivan said. "Overall, our pitchers really regrouped after yesterday's game and continue to get better because they are certainly being challenged with each lineup they face."
The Illini turned up the offense again in the fifth, adding five more runs to go up 12-5. Zymkowitz and Mexicano took a pair of walks to lead off the inning, then third baseman Shanna Diller roped an RBI-single to leftfield and later scored on Howell's sacrifice fly to left field. Smith stepped in and laced a double down the leftfield line to drive in two more runs.
The Orange and Blue added a pair of runs in the sixth on back-to-back RBI-basehits from Pinchback and Howell. The two runs gave Illinois a nine-run advantage, and relief pitcher Vicky Brown sat the Cougars down in order in the bottom of the sixth to earn her first save of the season thanks to the eight-run-rule.
The Illini battled one of the nation's top ranked teams to the wire in the second game of the day, trailing A&M by just two runs into the sixth before Aggie pitcher Megan Gibson sealed the victory with a two-run homer. Starting pitcher Claire DeVreese (9-7) went the distance for the Orange and Blue, allowing five earned runs on six hits and striking out two. Gibson (14-0) carried in a streak of 38.1 consecutive innings without giving up an earned run, but Diller quickly ended that in the first inning, taking a 1-1 pitch over the leftfield wall for her fourth homer of the season.
"Claire pitched well and had to work around a lot of different circumstances," Sullivan said. "But she got some really talented hitters out when she hit her spots."
A&M responded with three runs in the bottom of the first after a pair of basehits and a couple of Illini miscues to go up 3-1.
"Early in the game we made a few mistakes and that hurts you against a talented team," Sullivan said. "There's not a lot of room to make any mistakes, whether it's communication-wise or execution-wise, but we responded back a few times and showed we were here to play."
The Orange and Blue battled back in the third when pinch hitter Danielle Vaji drew a leadoff walk before Mexicano launched her eighth long ball of the season to tie the game at three. Mexicano is already halfway to her career-high total of 16 home runs from last season.
The Aggies retook the lead for good in the bottom of the third thanks to five walks in the inning, then added a pair of insurance runs in the sixth to seal the 7-3 win.
"Playing the No.3 team in the nation on their home field was a great opportunity, and competitors love that opportunity," Sullivan said. "They shut us down in the end, but I'm pleased with how our team played."
Illinois wraps up the Aggie Classic on Sunday with a doubleheader against No. 18/20 Louisiana-Lafayette. The Illini will face the Ragin' Cajuns at 10 a.m. with the second game immediately following.
