BATON ROUGE, La. – Sophomore Stephanie Abello sent a two-run home run to centerfield in the sixth inning to lift the Fighting Illini softball team to a 5-3 win over Troy in their finale of the LSU Invitational on Sunday (March 5) morning at Tiger Park.
The Illini improve to 12-6 on the season and wrap the three-day tournament with a 4-1 mark.
"I am extremely proud of the way Breanna Wonderly fought to lead the team in today's game and throughout the entire weekend," said head coach Tyra Perry. "She is a hard worker and was able to navigate through several tough situations to help secure a second win against Troy. Stephanie Abello is truly a force at the plate. Her homerun in the sixth was just what we needed to spin the momentum back in our favor."
Junior Annie Fleming gave the Illini an early lead with an RBI double down the right field line following a leadoff walk from sophomore Kiana Sherlund in the opening inning.
A two-run double in the second frame put the Trojans up 2-1, but the Illini answered right back to even the score as senior Nicole Evans doubled down the left field line to plate junior Annie Fleming in the top of the third.
Both teams added runs in the fifth as Fleming added her second RBI double of the day to score Sherlund for a second time and a Troy RBI single to right field moved the score to 3-3.
The tie did not last long as redshirt-freshman Veronica Ruelius led off the sixth with a single to center field, before Abello's heroics at the plate put the Illini up for good.
Senior Breanna Wonderly (4-5) earned the win after giving up three runs, with only two earned, on seven hits and two walks, while striking out four in the complete game effort.
The Illini registered six hits and an error on the day, with Fleming going 2-for-4 with two doubles, two RBI and a run scored. Sherlund added two runs, a hit and a stolen base in the win.
Illinois will break for 10 days before welcoming Northern Illinois on Wednesday, March 15 for its 2017 home opener at Eichelberger Field in a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m. CT.
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