CLEARWATER, Fla. – The Illinois softball team split its second day at the Clearwater Spring Break Classic on Saturday (March 18) at the Eddie C. Moore Sports Complex, falling to No. 4/2 Auburn, 6-2, in the day's first game, before rebounding for a come-from-behind win over USF, 7-3 in eight innings.
"We played tough competition today," said head coach Tyra Perry. "We had our chances in the first game against Auburn but could not quite get the job done. In our second game, we stayed calm and showed a ton of fight in our win against USF."
Auburn 6, Illinois 2
The Tigers grabbed an early 1-0 edge in the third inning as an Illini error turned into a run on an RBI double to deep centerfield.
AU added to its lead in the fourth as an Illini throwing error brought home a base-runner, before a three-run home run to right field pushed the score to 5-0. The Tigers then made it 6-0 on an RBI fielder's choice to third base in the fifth.
The Illini broke through in the bottom of the fifth as junior Maddi Doane delivered a two-out double down the right field line and was brought home a batter later as sophomore Kiana Sherlund singled up the middle for the RBI.
After a double to left field from junior Annie Fleming to start the bottom of the sixth frame, redshirt-sophomore pinch hitter Emily Brodner capitalized with an RBI single up the middle for the 6-2 score.
Senior Breanna Wonderly (6-7) took the loss after allowing six runs, with only three earned, on seven hits and four walks, while striking out four in a complete game effort.
The Illini totaled five hits and three errors, while the Tigers posted seven hits and one error. Sherlund and Brodner each tallied a hit and an RBI, with Fleming and Doane adding a run and a hit each.
Illinois 7, USF 3 (8 inn.)
The Bulls struck first and grabbed a 3-0 advantage with an unearned run in the second and a pair of home runs in the third.
The Illini rallied within one with two runs in the fourth on a sacrifice fly from junior Leigh Farina and a Sherlund RBI single to left field, before a solo home run from senior Nicole Evans – her team-leading eight of the season – knotted things up at 3-3 in the fifth.
With neither team scoring in the sixth and seventh frames, the game went to extras where the international tiebreaker rule was enforced and Sherlund was placed at second to start the eighth inning. After a sacrifice bunt from senior Alyssa Gunther and an intentional walk issued to Evans, Sherlund was brought home on an RBI single to left field from sophomore Stephanie Abello.
The Illini added three more runs on a USF error that allowed senior Ruby Rivera reach base, followed by an RBI infield single from junior Rowan McGuire.
Wonderly, who went all eight frames against the Bulls, pitched a three-up, three-down inning in the bottom of the eighth to secure her sixth win of the season. For the game, Wonderly allowed just two earned runs on seven hits and two walks and struck out three.
The Illini outhit the Bulls, 10-7, with USF committing five errors in the contest to UI's one miscue. Evans paced the Illini with a 2-for-3 effort plus two runs, two intentional walks and an RBI. Sherlund added two hits, a run and an RBI in the win.
Illinois wraps up action at the Clearwater Spring Break Classic with a single game against Bethune-Cookman on Sunday (March 19) at 10:15 a.m. CT at the Eddie C. Moore Sports Complex.
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