URBANA, Ill. –Senior Maddi Doane drove in the game-wining run on an RBI single through the right side in the bottom of the seventh inning as the Illinois softball team earned a come-from-behind 5-4 victory over Nebraska on Friday (May 4) night at Eichelberger Field.
It was the 10th win in the Illini's (35-16, 12-7 B1G) last 11 games.
Junior Kiana Sherlund went 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI for the Illini, while Doane notched two hits, a run and an RBI in the victory. Freshman Bella Loya added two RBI and a hit on the night.
Quotable
"It was a great softball game tonight against a very good Nebraska team. Leigh Farina set the tone tonight with a great defensive play early in the game and the rest of the team followed. Maddi Doane's hit in the bottom of the seventh with two outs was clutch." – head coach Tyra Perry
What Happened
The back and forth action started in the second inning as an RBI single down the left field line from senior Rowan McGuire led off the scoring, before the Huskers (30-21, 8-12 B1G) tied things up with a solo home run in the third.
Freshman Bella Loya then answered back with a two-run single to centerfield in the bottom half of the third to plate junior Kiana Sherlund and senior Sam Acosta.
After two scoreless innings, the Huskers took a 4-3 lead on a three-run home run to centerfield in the sixth. The Illini then wasted little time in evening things up as senior Leigh Farina knocked a two-out double, before being driven home on a Sherlund RBI single to right center.
Heading into the bottom of the seventh with the score tied at 4-4, junior Stephanie Abello started off the Illini rally with a one-out single through the right side. One batter later, Doane delivered her heroics to bring home freshman pinch runner Rhein Trochim from second base for the 5-4 win.
Senior Erin Walker (1-0) earned her first win of the season after holding the Huskers to just one hit and striking out one in 2.0 innings of relief action. Classmate Taylor Edwards started and went 5.0 frames, giving up four earned runs on eight hits and a walk and striking out one in the outing.
What's Next
The Illini continues its three-game series this weekend with a 1 p.m. CT game against the Huskers on Saturday (May 5) in Eichelberger Field. The popular World's Largest Softball Tailgate promotion is set to begin at 11 a.m., with Senior Day festivities following the conclusion of the game.
For more Fighting Illini softball news, stay tuned to FIGHTINGILLINI.com and follow the team on Twitter
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