STARKVILLE, Miss. – With the game tied at 3-3 in the top of the seventh inning, junior Alexis Carrillo brought in the go-ahead run on an RBI ground out as the Illinois softball team finished off the weekend with a 4-3 win over UMass-Lowell on Sunday (March 11) morning at Nusz Park.
Senior Maddi Doane paced the Illini (11-8) at the plate over the weekend with a .778 batting average on a 7-of-9 effort to go with a double, triple and two RBI, while redshirt-junior Carly Thomas posted a .583 average with team-highs of seven hits, five RBI and five runs. Junior Kiana Sherlund also notched a team-high five runs in the four games.
Quotable
"Today we did not play our best overall, but we showed toughness by doing what we had to do to win. Alexis Carrillo had a quality at bat in the top of the seventh to score Carly Thomas. I am proud of the way Carrillo has been able to come through in the clutch for us several times this season." – head coach Tyra Perry
What Happened
Senior Sam Acosta got the Illini going in the opening frame with a one-out double, before coming home on a Thomas RBI sac fly, but the River Hawks answered back with a solo home run in the bottom of the first for a 1-1 tie.
An RBI double from senior Leigh Farina gave UI a 2-1 edge in the fourth, but again UML responded with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the frame. After an Illini fielding error brought in the first score, Sherlund had an apparent three-run home run-saving catch at the fence in center field, but it was ruled a trapped ball and scored as an RBI ground rule double to give the River Hawks a 3-2 lead.
The Illini quickly knotted things at 3-3 with an RBI sacrifice fly from Carrillo in the top of the fifth.
Entering the seventh with the game tied, Thomas earned a leadoff walk, before advancing to third following a Doane walk and an UML error. Carrillo then brought in the go-ahead run on an RBI grounder.
Junior Emily Oestreich (7-3) entered in the fourth and held the River Hawks to just two hits, while striking out four in 3.1 innings of work to earn her second win of the weekend. Classmate Taylor Edwards started and went 3.2 innings, allowing three earned runs on seven hits and two walks, while striking out four in the outing.
As a team, the Illini totaled 10 hits, but committed two errors on the day, with Farina posting a pair of hits and an RBI in the win. Doane and freshman Bella Loya also notched two hits, with Carrillo contributing two RBI.
What's Next
Illinois return to the friendly confines of Eichelberger Field for its 2018 home opener on Tuesday (March 13) against IUPUI at 4 p.m. CT, before heading to St. Charles, Mo., for a neutral-site doubleheader against Missouri at Lindenwood University on Wednesday (March 14) at 2 & 4 p.m.
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.
