URBANA, Ill. – The Illinois softball team earned its second Big Ten Conference series sweep of the season and its fifth-straight win with a 9-7 victory over Iowa in the series finale on Sunday (April 22) at Eichelberger Field.
With the win, the Illini earned their 30th victory of the season and own a 30-15 overall record and a 9-6 mark in the Big Ten Conference with three conference series wins on the year.
Redshirt-junior Carly Thomas led the Illini with a 3-for-4 performance at the plate with two RBI, while junior Kiana Sherlund posted two hits, two runs and two RBI on the day.
For the series, Thomas paced the squad with a .727 batting average with eight hits, including two doubles, a triple and a home run, to go along with five RBI and four runs. Freshman Bella Loya added a .545 average with six hits, three RBI and three runs in the three games.
Quotable
"Iowa is a tough team and we knew we would have to fight hard to sweep them. We played a good game overall today, but had a few miscues on defense that made it hard at the end. Taylor Edwards was strong yet again for us. Carly Thomas, Stephanie Abello and Maddi Doane were solid on offense." – head coach Tyra Perry
What Happened
After a Sherlund leadoff double in the opening inning, the Illini struck first on a double steal, with Sherlund coming home on the play for the early 1-0 edge.
The Hawkeyes (19-25, 5-11) answered back with a three-run home run in the top of the second, but the Iowa lead did not last long as the Illini put together an eight-run third frame, highlighted by a three-run home run from senior Maddi Doane – marking her team leading eighth long ball of the season – as well as two-RBI singles from Sherlund and Thomas.
Iowa got two runs back in the fifth, before closing within two at 9-7 after scoring two unearned runs on a UI fielding error in the seventh, but junior Taylor Edwards and Illini defense worked out of the jam with a lineout to senior Leigh Farina to wrap up the series sweep.
Edwards (12-7) – who earned all three wins in the series with the Hawkeyes – notched a complete game victory after allowing seven runs – only four earned – on seven hits and four walks and striking out one.
The Illini as a team totaled eight hits and three errors, while the Hawkeyes committed six miscues on the day.
What's Next
The Illini are back in action at Eichelberger Field on Wednesday (April 25) with a 5 p.m. CT contest against EIU. The Illini were scheduled to face IUPUI on Tuesday (April 24), but that game has since been rescheduled to Tuesday, May 1 at 5 p.m.
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