April 28, 2011
Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score
URBANA, Ill. - Illinois Softball dropped both ends of its Thursday doubleheader, falling in six innings in game one, 8-0, before dropping the second contest, 3-1. Danielle Zymkowitz led the Illini at the plate, reaching base four times on two walks, a single and a hit by pitch. Jessica Davis, Jenna Mychko and Kelley Wedel tallied one hit each on the day.
Game One: Indiana 8, Illinois 0 (6 inn.)
In the first half of Thursday's doubleheader, despite drawing five walks and reaching base on one hit by pitch, Illinois could only muster one hit as the Orange and Blue fell to Indiana, 8-0, in six innings. Zymkowitz had the only base knock for Illinois, also drawing a first-inning walk and being struck by a pitch to reach base each time she stepped to the plate.
"In the first game I felt like we were defending well and pitching well, but we got beat by a terrific pitcher on the mound," Illinois head coach Terri Sullivan said. "We never saw the ball that well and didn't swing at quality pitches. They put together a big inning and when you are playing a first place team, you need to do everything well. We just didn't get anything going offensively."
Illinois put runners on in the opening five innings but was unable to push a run across. The best scoring chance for the Illini came in the fifth inning. Alex Booker reached on an error to lead off the frame before Zymkowitz singled through the left side to put runners on first and second with no one out. However, Meredith Hackett struck out swinging, Davis lined out to shortstop and Wedel fouled out to end the threat for the Orange and Blue.
Indiana got on the board with one run in the third inning, one in the fifth and six in the sixth inning to reach the 8-0 advantage. With two outs in the third, Morgan Melloh singled home Ashley Warrum to break the scoreless tie. Two innings later, Jenna Abraham tripled to right field and scored on a sacrifice fly out by Cassie Gogreve to stake the Hooisers to a 2-0 lead. Indiana broke open the contest in the sixth, scoring six runs to reach the final score. Sara Olson hit a three-run double, Melloh hit an RBI-single and Gogreve singled in the final two runners.
Pepper Gay took the loss, giving up seven runs over five innings of work while allowing four walks and striking out two. Laura Tarnawa relieved Gay in the sixth inning, giving up the final run on two hits while fanning one Hoosier.
Game Two: Indiana 3, Illinois 1
Illinois (20-20 overall, 7-7 Big Ten) was unable to break through against Melloh in the second game, falling 3-1 in the doubleheader finale. Davis provided her team-leading 13th homer of the season during the contest, tying the Zephyrhills, Fla., native for third among all Big Ten hitters on the season.
"In the second game, I thought we came out ready," Sullivan said. "Again, we had to do things really well because their pitcher is going to come right at you and keep the game low-scoring. Jackie pitched ok but she needed to be better and sharper early on."
Indiana (32-15 overall, 12-2) plated two runners in the second inning to earn an early two-run lead. Warrum was issued a bases loaded walk to score one run and Olson was struck by a pitch in the next at bat to plate the second runner.
In the fourth inning, Davis drove a pitch over the left-center field fence to cut the deficit in half and become one of only six Illini to ever hit 13 or more home runs in a single season. Wedel followed Davis with a single to right field; however, Stephanie Cuevas struck out, Hollie Pinchback moved Wedel to second with a ground out and Mychko was set down on strikes to strand Wedel.
The Hoosiers scored another run in the sixth inning to reach the final score as Samantha Heyman singled to lead off the frame and raced home on a triple by Warrum two batters later.
Illinois loaded the bases in the seventh but was unable to plate a runner. Pinchback walked with one out, Mychko singled to right field and Ashley Conrad walked. Still with one out, Booker flied out to left field to record the second out and Conrad was called out for passing the runner at second base during the play to end the contest.
Jackie Guy pitched a complete game for Illinois, giving up eight hits and six walks while striking out three. Melloh, the NCAA Division-I leader in strikeouts, pitched all 13 innings for Indiana on the day, allowing three hits and nine walks while striking out 21 Illini over both contests.
Up Next: The Orange and Blue continue Big Ten play with two games against Northwestern (22-13, 4-6). First pitch for game one is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 30 with the game broadcast live on the Big Ten Network. The second game will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 1.
