GUAYNABO, Puerto Rico – On the final day of the Puerto Rico DI Tournament, the Fighting Illini softball team suffered its first setback of the season to California, 9-5, on Sunday (Feb. 12) in the Donna Terry Stadium.
The Illini finished the season-opening tournament with a 4-1 record, their best start to a season since 2014 when the Illini won their first eight games.
"It was a good weekend overall," said head coach Tyra Perry. "Today's game was not the finish we were hoping for but one tough inning put us in a pretty large hole. Cal is a very good team and we will get another crack at them in just a few short days at the Mary Nutter Classic. 4-1 against great competition is a strong start to the 2017 season."
It was another quick start for the Illini as back-to-back singles from senior Alyssa Gunther and junior Annie Fleming opened the game, before an RBI infield single with the bases loaded from sophomore Stephanie Abello gave UI an early 1-0 lead.
The Orange and Blue held Cal without a hit until the fifth frame when the Bears exploded for nine runs on eight hits and two Illini errors to grab a 9-1 edge.
The Illini extended the game with a run in the bottom of the fifth as back-to-back Cal throwing errors put runners on for UI. A Fleming grounder to second then scored junior Leigh Farina to make it 9-2.
Down seven runs heading into the bottom of the seventh, the Illini rallied to score three runs with four-straight hits to open the inning – highlighted by an RBI single up the middle from Gunther, followed by a Fleming two-run double to left field. With a runner on and no outs in the frame, the Illini would not be able to capitalize as the Bears took the game, 9-5.
Senior starter Breanna Wonderly (1-1) took her first loss of the season after allowing seven runs – with only four earned – on six hits and a walk in 4.1 innings of work. Sophomore Taylor Edwards entered in the fifth and gave up two unearned runs on two hits in 2.1 innings of action and junior Erin Walker worked a hitless seventh for the Illini.
The Illini were outhit for the first time this season, 8-7, with both teams committing two errors each. Fleming led the Illini offensively with two hits and two RBI, while Gunther added a 2-for-3 effort with two runs and an RBI.
The Illini continue nonconference tournament action next weekend at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in Cathedral City, Calif., taking on today's opponent Cal and Saint Mary's on Friday (Feb. 17), UC Davis and Arkansas on Saturday (Feb. 18) and Oregon on Sunday (Feb. 19).
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