MOBILE, Ala. – The Illinois softball split its games on the second day of the Mardi Gras Invitational, earning an 8-2 win over Nicholls State in a game that saw the Illini hit five home runs, before falling to Stephen F. Austin, 7-2, on Saturday (Feb. 23) afternoon at Jaguar Field.
The Illini move to 9-3 on the season as their win streak is halted at six games.
Redshirt-senior Annie Fleming as dynamite at the plate for the Orange and Blue, going 6-for-7 with two home runs and a double, as well as four RBI and three runs.
"Our play in game one was up to our standard," said head coach Tyra Perry. "We hit the ball hard and made plays on defense. We abandoned our game plan in game two against Stephen F. Austin. We did not put quality at-bats together and we did not shut the door with two outs. We must commit to playing clean softball the way we know how tomorrow and finish the weekend on a high note."
Illinois 8, Nicholls State 2
The Illini were hot early and often against the Colonels as senior Kiana Sherlund knocked a leadoff home run in the opening frame, quickly followed by another homer from redshirt-senior Annie Fleming.
After an RBI single from NSU in the top of the second, the Illini continued their offensive show in the bottom half of the inning with an RBI double from redshirt-senior Carly Thomas and three dingers from Fleming – her second of the game – and sophomores Bella Loya and Maddison Demers for the 8-1 edge.
NSU added a second run on a solo homer in the fifth as the Illini went on for the 8-2 win.
Senior Emily Oestreich started the game and went 3.0 innings, allowing just one earned run on five hits in the outing. Junior Akilah Mouzon (1-0) earned her first win of the season with a strong relief effort, giving up just one earned run on three hits and struck out two in 3.0 frames. Senior Taylor Edwards finished up the win with a three-up, three-down inning.
The Illini notched 11 hits win the win, while the Colonels posted eight hits and an error. Fleming paced the Illini with a 3-for-4 performance with two home runs, three RBI and a pair of runs. Thomas and Loya also added two hits, an RBI and a run in the win.
Stephen F. Austin 7, Illinois 2
The Illini struck first against the Lady Jacks as a Fleming double set up a Loya RBI single for an early 1-0 advantage in the opening frame.
SFA tied things up in the bottom half of the first with a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch, before pushing its lead to 6-1 with three runs in the third and two in the fourth. The Illini got a run back in the fifth as Fleming singled in freshman Kailee Powell, but the Lady Jacks added an insurance run in the seventh for the 7-2 win.
Freshman Sydney Sickels (5-2) took the loss after giving up six earned runs on eight hits and two walks and striking out six in 3.2 innings. Mouzon entered in the fourth and allowed just one unearned run on two hits in 2.1 innings for a solid relief effort.
The Illini put together seven hits in the game, but committed two errors, while the Lady Jacks totaled 10 hits and one miscue. Fleming again led the offense, going 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run.
Next Up
The Illini finishes up action at the Mardi Gras Invitational with a 9 a.m. CT contest against Nicholls State on Sunday (Feb. 24) morning.
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