April 1, 2009
Box Score (Game One) | Box Score (Game Two)
IOWA CITY, Iowa -
The Illini engaged in a pitching duel with the Iowa Hawkeyes in the opening game of a doubleheader on Wednesday night at Pearl Field, as Illinois pitcher Monica Perry took a one-hitter into the seventh before suffering the 1-0 loss. Illinois dropped the second game of the doubleheader, 9-1, falling to 18-10 (3-2 Big Ten) while the Hawkeyes improved to 29-7 (3-1 Big Ten).
Despite taking both losses, Perry (13-8) was dominant through six innings in the first game as she allowed just one hit and three base-runners. She was also one strikeout shy of her career high, fanning nine Hawkeyes. Iowa pitcher Brittany Weil (14-6) caused problems for the Illini offense, tossing perfect game in the opener.
"Obviously the first game was a battle between the pitchers," head coach Terri Sullivan said. "Our team needed to make adjustments at the plate and we were more aggressive in the second game, but Iowa was the better team today."
The lone run of the first game came on a solo shot in the bottom of the seventh. Perry struck out the first batter of the inning, but catcher Liz Watkins sent one over the wall in right-center for the walk-off win.
Game two was drastically different from the first, as the Hawkeyes jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first thanks in part to a three-run home run. Iowa tacked on another one in the third to go up 6-0.
Illinois mustered a run in the fourth as rightfielder Hope Howell led off the inning with a walk. After leftfielder Hollie Pinchback singled, first baseman Meredith Hackett followed with a base-knock to load the bases. With two outs, Kelley Wedel was hit by a pitch, plating Howell to put the Illini on the board.
With Iowa leading 7-1 in the top of the fifth, the Illini strung together some offense but struggled to put a run across. Second baseman Danielle Zymkowitz chopped one to third for a single and Howell knocked a base-hit to put two on with one out. After Pinchback grounded to short for a fielder's choice, putting runners at the corners, relief pitcher Amanda Zust (15-1) worked out of the jam with a strikeout.
Iowa scored a run in the fifth and sixth to wrap up the doubleheader sweep.
The Illini continue Big Ten action on the road at Wisconsin this weekend. The two teams open the series on Saturday at 2 p.m. and conclude the weekend on Sunday at 2 p.m.
