MIAMI, Fla. – For the second-straight day, the Illinois softball team split its games at the JuiceBlendz FIU Invitational, earning an impressive 5-1 win over No. 10 Florida State behind a dominating performance in the circle from junior Jade Vecvanags and senior Nicole Tobon's first career home run, before dropping its nightcap to tournament host Florida International, 10-8, on Saturday (Feb. 13) at the FIU Softball Stadium.
With their win over the Seminoles, the 2-2 Illini registered their first win over a ranked opponent since 2014.
"We were really excited about the way we came out in our first game against Florida State," said head coach Tyra Perry. "I thought Jade Vecvanags did a great job in the circle. She was confident and carried herself like an ace. We also had great run support all-aournd, including Nicole Tobon's home run, which definitely gave us a big boost. She has been working extremely hard and I am excited to see that pay off and for her to have success."
"The second game we did not fair quite as well, obviously. We were not as aggressive as we needed to be and made a few costly errors. Despite that, we did hit the ball well, but we just could not find the hole, including the last out of the game when Kylie Johnson really stung the ball and the FIU short stop made a tremendous play to stop our efforts. Now we will move our focus on coming out tomorrow against St John's and contining to work hard, play together as a team and hopefully end this tournament with a win."
Illinois 5, No. 10 Florida State 1
A leadoff double from sophomore Carly Thomas started things off for the Illini against the Seminoles. After a sacrifice bunt from senior Alyssa Gunter, UI grabbed an early 1-0 lead when senior Allie Bauch tallied an infield RBI-single with Thomas beating the throw home.
The Illini added to their edge in the fourth as sophomore Annie Fleming and freshman Stephanie Abello notched back-to-back hits before Tobon cleared the bases with a bomb to left center field to push the score to 4-0.
FSU broke up the shutout in the six inning on an RBI-single to short stop, but the Illini responded with an insurance run in the bottom of the frame as Kylie Johnson singled to short stop to plate pinch runner sophomore Sam Acosta from second.
After a leadoff single from the Seminoles to open the seventh, Vecvanags settled down and posted a pair of strikeouts looking en route to take the 5-1 victory.
For the third-straight game, the Illini put up eight runs to outhit the Seminoles, who recorded five hits, while both teams had one error in the contest. Tobon had a career day with a 2-of-3 performance with three RBI and a run. Thomas added two hits and a run in the win.
Vecvanags (1-1) went the distance for the Illini, allowing just one earned run on five hits and striking out four in a complete game effort for her first win of the season.
FSU's Jessica Burroughs (1-1) took the loss after allowing four earned runs on six hits in four innings of action.
Florida International 10, Illinois 8
For the fourth-straight game the Illini drew first blood as junior Nicole Evans plated Bauch on a hard-hit double to left center field in the opening frame.
After a two-run innings from FIU to take a 2-1 lead in the second frame, the bats went quiet for both teams, before waking up again in the fourth inning. The Illini evened the score at 2-2 with an RBI-double down the left field line from Johnson, but the tie lasted only until the bottom half of the inning when the Panthers put up four unearned runs on three hits, including an inside the park home run and an Illini error.
Trailing by four, the Illini battled back to cut the deficit to 6-5 with a three-run fifth frame a Bauch single, followed Evans reaching on a hit by pitch put two-on for Fleming. The sophomore then delivered an RBI-single up the middle, before a throwing error on the FIU catcher allowed both Evans and Fleming to score.
The Panthers answered with two-run home runs in the fifth and six innings to take a 10-5 lead into the top of the seventh. After an FIU error opened the frame, Evans notched her second double of the game to score Bauch, before Fleming singled and advanced on the throw to put runners on second and third with no outs for senior pinch hitter Remeny Perez, who plated Evans on an RBI groundout to short stop. Fleming was then scored two batters later as freshman pinch hitter Stephanie Abello reached base on a fielding error by the FIU pitcher.
Down by two with a runner on, Johnson smacked a hard-hit ball, but straight to the short stop, to end the Illini rally and give FIU the win.
The Illini totaled 11 hits and one error in the setback, while the Panthers recorded 13 hits, but were hampered by three errors. Evans paced the UI offense against FIU, going 3-for-3 with two doubles, two runs and two RBI. Fleming also registered two hits, two runs and RBI, with Bauch adding three runs and two hits in the contest.
Breanna Wonderly (1-1) took the loss after allowing eight runs, with only four earned, on 10 hits in four and one-third innings of work. Sophomore Kate Giddens made her first appearance of the season in a relief effort, allowing two runs on three hits and striking out two in an inning and two-thirds of action.
Corinne Jenkins (1-1) earned the win for the Panthers after giving up five runs, only two earned, on eight hits and one walk in four and one-third innings.
Illinois will wrap up the JuiceBlendz FIU Invitational with its final game of the tournament on Sunday (Feb. 14) morning, taking on St. John's at 8 a.m. CT at the FIU Softball Stadium.
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