IOWA CITY, Iowa – The Illinois softball team began the Big Ten Conference schedule with a bang as senior pitcher Breanna Wonderly tossed just the 12th no-hitter in program history and three Illini went yard en route to a five-inning 8-0 victory over Iowa on Friday (March 24) afternoon at Bob Pearl Softball Field.
The Illini, who needed just over an hour to dispatch the Hawkeyes, earned their 20th win of the season to improve to 20-8 and 1-0 in the Big Ten, while Iowa falls to 6-18 and 0-1 in the league.
"We played intelligent, team softball today," said head coach Tyra Perry. "Every single person came in focused and ready to do their job and Breanna Wonderly was a force on the mound. She set the tone early for our defense."
"Our bats were hot. We had a ton of quality at-bats on the day throughout the lineup, but I was especially pleased with the poise that Ruby Rivera showed at the plate in the top of the fifth inning to score that eighth run."
"It is a great feeling to get your first no-hitter," said Wonderly. "I told Coach Lance [McMahon, pitching coach] before the game that my arm was feeling good and when the team hits home runs and scores runs like they did, it makes my job easier."
Sophomore Kiana Sherlund got the Illini going quickly with a leadoff home run to center field in the game's first at-bat, her second homer of the season. Following a single up the middle from senior Alyssa Gunther, classmate Nicole Evans made it 3-0 with her team-leading 10th homer of the season on a dinger off the center field scoreboard.
The Illini continued the scoring with their second-straight three-run inning in the second as Sherlund doubled in junior Leigh Farina for her second RBI of the day, before coming home on a two-error play. Gunther, who reached and advanced to second on the errors, was then plated on an RBI double from junior Annie Fleming.
Abello made it 7-0 in favor of the visitors in the third with a solo shot to right center field, her seventh of the year, before senior Ruby Rivera delivered a two-out RBI single through the right side in the fifth to bring Abello in for the 8-0 score.
Wonderly (8-7) then capped the no-hitter and complete game shutout victory with her fourth strikeout of the game.
The Illini totaled eight hits in the win, while the Hawkeyes committed three errors. Sherlund paced the Illini offense with a 2-for-3 performance, including a double and a homer, plus two RBI and two runs. Abello added two runs, a hit and an RBI, while Gunther contributed two runs and a hit.
Illinois continues its three-game Big Ten opening series on Sunday with a doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m. CT at Bob Pearl Softball Field.
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