URBANA, Ill. – The Illinois softball team earned its third-straight Big Ten Conference series win with a doubleheader sweep of Iowa on Friday (April 29) night at Eichelberger Field. The Illini celebrated the 13th-annual World's Largest Softball Tailgate and honored seniors Allie Bauch, Kylie Johnson, Remeny Perez, Danielle Trezzo and Nicole Tobon with a pair of 5-1 victories over the visiting Hawkeyes.
The two wins give the Illini 30 wins on the season for the first time since posting 45 during the 2010 campaign and improves UI's overall record to 30-19 and 9-10 in conference play. Iowa falls to 13-34 and 3-16 in the Big Ten.
Johnson led the Illini offensively on the night with a 3-for-6 effort between the two games, while Bauch contributed two hits and two RBI. Trezzo, sophomore Annie Fleming and junior Nicole Evans also added a pair of hits each.
Junior Breanna Wonderly (14-9) earned both wins in the circle for the Illini, registering a 1.00 ERA after allowing just one earned run in each contest. She allowed 12 hits total between the two games, including a four-hit, two-strikeout gem in the doubleheader's opening contest.
Game One: Illinois 5, Iowa 1
The Illini jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in game one of the doubleheader as three-straight singles from Evans, Fleming and Rivera loaded the bases, before Trezzo reached on a Hawkeye fielding error to plate a pair of runs on the play.
An Iowa double steal in the third cut the lead to 2-1, but the Illini responded with a Bauch RBI single in the fourth frame, followed by a pair of runs in the sixth on an RBI single through the right side from sophomore Carly Thomas and another Iowa fielding error with the bases loaded.
UI outhit the Hawkeyes, 8-4, with Iowa committing two errors to the Illini's one.
Shayla Starkenburg (4-13) took the loss after allowing five runs, two earned, on seven hits and striking out three.
Game Two: Illinois 5, Iowa 1
After two scoreless innings to open the day's second game, the Illini took a 2-0 advantage in the third, beginning on an RBI fielder's choice from Bauch after Johnson started off the frame with a triple down the left field line. Another two errors then gave the Illini their second run as junior Alyssa Gunther reached and scored on Hawkeye fielding errors by second baseman Claire Fritsch.
The Illini made it 5-0 with three runs in the fourth as Trezzo led off the inning with an infield single, before advancing to third on a double from redshirt-freshman Emily Brodner. She then came home on a bad throw from Fritsch. A batter later, Tobon came on to pinch hit for Thomas and delivered her second career home run with a two-run long ball to left center.
An illegal pitch from Wonderly gave the Hawkeyes a run back in the fifth, but that would be it for the visitors.
The Illini totaled seven hits in the win, while Iowa posted eight hits, but were hampered by three errors.
Elizabeth Wiegand (7-11) allowed five runs, four earned, on seven hits to take the loss for the Hawkeyes.
The third game of the three-game series is tentatively set for Saturday at 1 p.m. CT in Eichelberger Field, but the date and time is subject to change depending on the weather.
Game three will be StrikeOut Cancer Day at the ballpark, with the Illini recognizing cancer survivors throughout the game. Fans are encouraged to wear pink and there will be a Nike Illinois branded pink t-shirt giveaway, small pink ribbons for fans and pink balls thrown out during the first pitch. Fans can also donate to the cause here: http://bit.ly/StrikeOutCancer-DONATE.
For more Fighting Illini softball news, stay tuned to FIGHTINGILLINI.com and follow the team on Twitter @IlliniSB or like Fighting Illini Softball on Facebook.
