CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – After falling behind 4-0 in the first inning, the Fighting Illini softball team responded with 11 unanswered runs to secure their second Big Ten Conference series win of the season with an 11-4 victory over Purdue on Saturday (April 8) afternoon at Eichelberger Field.
With the win, the Illini push their season record to 26-10 and 6-2 in the conference, while the Boilermakers drop to 15-25 and 4-4 in the league standings.
Senior Nicole Evans led the Illini with a 3-for-3 performance, including her fourth career grand slam, to go along with a career-high six RBI and two runs. With her six RBI in the win, Evans becomes the program's career RBI leader with 165 in her four years at Illinois.
The six RBI from Evans also rank in a tie for third-most RBI in a single contest, with junior Carly Thomas and former Illini Sarah Bryers holding the record at seven. Evans paces the Illini with 47 RBI on the season.
Purdue chased Illini starter Taylor Edwards with four runs in the opening frame, including a two-run home run to centerfield. Senior Breanna Wonderly (12-9) then entered in the first and held the visitors to just three hits over the next 6 1/3 innings, while also striking out three to earn the win.
The Illini responded by chipping away at the deficit, scoring a run in each of the first four frames, including sacrifice flies from Evans and junior Leigh Farina in the first and second, an RBI double to left field from the Glen Ellyn, Ill., native in the third and a passed ball scoring senior Ruby Rivera to tie the game at 4-4 in the fourth.
Sophomore Stephanie Abello and Evans then did the rest as back-to-back singles from Evans and junior Annie Fleming put two runners on for the Batavia, Ill., local in the fifth. Abello then sent her 10th home run of the season to right centerfield to put the Illini up for good at 7-4.
Evans added some insurance to the lead in the bottom of the sixth with her team-leading 13th long ball of the season and second grand slam of the season for the 11-4 win.
The Illini registered 12 hits on the day, with Abello notching two hits, three RBI and a run. Sophomore Kiana Sherlund, senior Alyssa Gunther and Rivera each added two hits and two runs – with both of Rivera's hits going for doubles.
Illinois looks for the series sweep over the Boilermakers with the weekend finale on Sunday (April 9) at 12 p.m. at Eichelberger Field. Sunday will be Kids Take over the Ball Park Day, with kids taking over a number of ballpark duties throughout the game, including announcing, concessions, event staff & collecting foul balls and field raking. There will also be free Papa Johns pizza for the first 200 fans and a post-game youth clinic.
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.
