April 17, 2015
Urbana, Ill. - The Fighting Illini returned to Eichelberger Field riding a seven-game winning streak, but the University of Wisconsin spoiled their homecoming, taking the Big Ten series opener, 11-7, despite a valiant late comeback. The win lifts the Badgers to 19-23 (3-9 Big Ten), while Illinois dropped to 19-22 (8-5 Big Ten).
"We didn't play great softball today and allowed too many runners to get on without earning it early," said head coach Terri Sullivan. "I really like how we fought hard at the end, started hitting the ball well. We don't get too high after wins and we won't get too low after a loss. We will get back at it tomorrow."
Annie Fleming led all batters at the plate, going a career-high 4-for-4 with a home run, extending the Illini's streak to 13 straight games with a home run, which is one shy of the all-time record set in March, 2007. Two batters later, Allie Bauch crushed her ninth long ball of the season, going 2-for-5 on the night, and Alyssa Gunther, Jess Perkins and Carly Thomas each had two hits as well. Both of Thomas' hits were doubles, as she extended her program record to eight doubles during Big Ten play while driving in three runs.
Wisconsin ran out to a 7-2 lead, chasing Illini ace Jade Vecvanags (13-9) from the circle after four innings in which she surrendered nine hits, a walk and four hit batsmen. Shelese Arnold entered for a scoreless fifth, but allowed four runs on three hits in the sixth with two walks over a total of two innings. Breanna Wonderly entered in the seventh, allowing just one hit in a scoreless final frame.
Taylor-Paige Stewart (8-13) went the distance for the Badgers, picking up the win despite allowing seven runs, five earned, on 14 hits and no walks with four strikeouts. Kelsey Jenkins was the top batter for the Badgers, collecting three hits and three RBIs, while Stefanni LaJeunesse drove in three on a bases-loaded double.
Wisconsin got on the board in the top of the first, as Chloe Miller hit a two-out single, and Kelsey Jenkins followed with an RBI double to make it 1-0 Badgers before the Illini came up to bat.
The Illini came out swinging in the bottom of the first, loading the bases with one out on singles by Gunther and Evans. Thomas knocked a fly ball well foul in left, but Katie Christner laid out and came up with a spectacular catch. Bauch made it a sacrifice fly, tying the score, but Gunther was thrown out trying to take third to end the inning.
The Badgers threatened in the second, loading the bases with no outs off a little nubber and a pair of hit batters, but Vecvanags regrouped for a ground out and back-to-back strikeouts to strand three.
Wisconsin loaded the bases with no outs again in the third, and this time Stefanni LaJeunesse came through with the big hit, as a bases-clearing double put the Badgers back on top, 4-1.
The Illini got one back in the bottom of the third, as Gunther singled and Perkins ripped an RBI double off the top of the wall in center to cut the Badger lead to two.
The Badgers put up another three-spot off four hits and a bases-loaded hit by pitch in the top of the fourth, making it 7-2 Wisconsin.
Arnold took over to start the fifth. A pair of hit batsmen and an error loaded the bases with one out, but the senior drew a pair of groundouts to escape the fifth without surrendering a hit or a run.
The Illini started the bottom of the fifth same way, with an error and back-to-back hit batsmen to load the bases, and given her second shot with the bases loaded, Thomas came through with a two-run double to deep center field to chip away at Wisconsin's lead, 7-4.
Wisconsin tacked on four more in the sixth off three hits and two walks to seemingly put the game out of reach, 11-4.
However, the Illini were not ready to throw in the towel, as Fleming shifted the momentum in the bottom of the sixth with a leadoff home run to straightaway center, marking the Illini's 13th straight game with a dinger. Johnson followed with a bunt single, and Bauch crushed another one out of the park to cut the Badgers' lead back to four, 11-7. Thomas hit her second double of the day to put two runners in scoring position with two outs, but the Illini would leave them there to head to the final inning, trailing 11-7.
After Wonderly tossed a scoreless top of the seventh, Fleming came up with her fourth hit of the day. Bauch kept the game alive with a two-out single, but Stewart got Gunther to pop up to seal up her second Big Ten win of the year, 11-7.
Next Up: The Illini look to even the series on Saturday, April 18, taking on the Badgers at 1 p.m. Prior to the game, Illinois will host the 12th annual World's Largest Softball Tailgate, with gates opening at 10 a.m. and local favorite 90s Daughter taking the stage at 11:30 a.m.
