April 24, 2011
Box Score
MADISON, Wis. - Illinois Softball dropped its weekend series finale at the University of Wisconsin on Sunday, 2-1. Illinois second baseman Danielle Zymkowitz went 2-for-3 with an RBI to improve her batting average against Big Ten pitchers to .590, while Pepper Gay took the loss in the circle despite not allowing an earned run in four and 1/3 innings.
"We did not have our offense going all weekend and have to give Wisconsin's pitchers credit for that," Illinois head coach Terri Sullivan said. "Today I don't feel we played aggressive or to win. We were defensive instead of offensive and it is difficult to win games that way."
Wisconsin (24-19 overall, 4-8 Big Ten) scored both of its runs in the bottom of the first inning as a result of an Illinois fielding error. Mary Massei led off with a single before Jennifer Krueger reached on the Illini miscue to put runners on first and second with no one out. Gay struck out Karla Powell before Stephanie Peace walked and Shanel Blackshear hit a sacrifice fly to break the scoreless tie. During the following at bat, Krueger raced home as Peace stole second and drew the throw to double the Badgers lead.
Illinois (20-18, 7-5) cut its deficit in half in the fifth inning on three hits and a walk. With one out, Jackie Guy singled to center field and was replaced at first with pinch runner Alex Booker. Ashley Conrad followed with a walk before Danielle Vaji singled to left field to load the bases. Zymkowitz stepped to the plate next, delivering an RBI-single to plate the only Illini run of the contest. Still with the bases loaded and one out, the Orange and Blue were unable to find the tying run. Hollie Pinchback reached on a fielder's choice with Conrad out at home before Meredith Hackett lined out to shortstop to end the frame.
Guy relieved Gay in the fifth and closed the contest with one and 2/3 innings of clean pitching, only allowing one batter to reach on a walk while striking out three.
Up Next: The Illini return home to face Indiana (30-15, 10-2) on Wednesday, April 27 for a midweek doubleheader, with game one scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. CT.
