CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Behind 24 hits and seven home runs, the Illinois softball team powered its way past UIC for a doubleheader sweep, 6-4 and 16-5 in five innings, in its home opener at Eichelberger on a chilly Tuesday (March 20) afternoon.
The win was the third-straight for the Illini (18-9) and the ninth in the last 10 games.
Senior Maddi Doane paced the offense with a 4-for-5 performance on the day, including two home runs, as well as four RBI and three runs. Freshman Bella Loya and junior Kiana Sherlund each also added four RBI, while redshirt-junior Carly Thomas turned in four hits and four runs.
Along with Doane's home runs, Loya, Sherlund, Thomas, freshman Maddison Demers and senior Sam Acosta collected dingers in the sweep.
Quotable
"Our bats were hot tonight in spite of the cold weather. It is always nice to see our players "pass the bat" and gets hits in a row." – head coach Tyra Perry.
What Happened
Game 1: Illinois 6, UIC 4
After the Flames (11-10) grabbed an early 2-0 lead in the opening frame, the Illini chipped away with a Demers RBI single in the second, before back-to-back two-run innings in the third and fourth pushed the home team ahead 5-2, highlighted by a pair of RBI singles from Abello in each frame and a Demers long ball in the fourth.
A UIC run in the sixth cut the lead to 5-3, but Thomas answered with her second long ball of the season in the bottom half of the inning.
The Flames added an unearned run in the seventh, but back-to-back strikeouts, followed by a foul out to left field finished off the 6-4 win.
Junior Emily Oestreich (10-3) earned her 10th win of the season after allowing just three earned runs on five hits and two walks, while striking out five in her seventh complete game of the season.
As a team, the Illini totaled 13 hits, but committed two errors. Demers paced the squad with two hits, two RBI and a run, while Thomas added two hits and two runs in the win.
Game 2: Illinois 16, UIC 5
In a similar start to the day's second game, UIC scored a pair of runs in the top of the first, but the advantage did not last long as the Illini registered back-to-back four-run innings to build an 8-2 edge. A three-run long ball from Doane got the offense going in the first, before Loya added her own three-run bomb in the second, quickly followed by Doane's second homer of the game.
After UIC plated a pair in the top of the third, Thomas added an RBI single for the 9-4 edge.
Illinois then broke things open with a seven-run fourth frame, highlighted by Sherlund's second grand slam of the season and the first-career home run for Acosta.
The Flames added an unearned run in the fifth, but junior pitcher Taylor Edwards then finished off the 16-5 win with a swinging strikeout.
Edwards (5-5) did not allow a hit and struck out four in three innings of relief action en route to collecting the win. Sophomore starter Akilah Mouzon went two frames, giving up three earned runs on five hits in the outing.
The Illini put up 11 hits, but suffered four miscues in the game. Doane went 3-for-3 with four RBI and three runs to lead UI, with Acosta and Thomas each adding two hits, two runs and an RBI in the win.
What's Next
Illinois continues its busy week with a trip to Edwardsville, Ill., to take on SIUE at 4 p.m. CT on Wednesday (March 21) at Cougar Field. From there, the Illini will a schedule change for its Big Ten opening series against Purdue in West Lafayette, Ind. Originally slated for a Friday-Saturday-Sunday series, the Illini and the Boilermakers will now play a single game on Thursday (March 22) at 4 p.m. CT, before a doubleheader on Friday (March 23) beginning at 3 p.m., to wrap the three-game series.
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.
