HOUSTON, Texas – The Illinois softball team split its two games on day two of the Houston Invitational, falling to No. 22 Oklahoma State, 10-6, in the day's opening contest, before taking a 4-2 win over the host Cougars in the nightcap at Cougar Softball Stadium.
The Illini improve to 3-1 on the season.
No. 22 Oklahoma State 10, Illinois 6
After taking a 1-0 lead in the opening inning, the Cowgirls (3-1) knocked back-to-back solo home runs, before a grand slam in the second en route to building a 7-0 advantage.
An RBI single from senior Kiana Sherlund got the Illini on the board, but OSU answered back with runs in the third and fourth frames for the 9-1 lead.
Needing to score to continue the game, the Illini brought in a pair in the fifth on a fielding error, followed by freshman Kailee Powell's first-ever hit in her first collegiate at-bat. OSU tallied another run in the top of the sixth, before senior Stephanie Abello came back with her own three-run in the bottom of the sixth for the 10-6 final.
Freshman Sydney Sickels (1-1) started and went 1.1 innings, allowing three earned runs on three hits to take the setback. Senior Taylor Edwards saw action in the second, before junior Akilah Mouzon entered later in the inning and went 5.2 frames, giving up just two earned runs on five hits and two walks, while striking out four.
Both teams registered 10 hits and an error in the game, with Abello going 2-for-4 with three RBI and a run and senior Annie Fleming notching two hits, a run and a stolen base.
Illinois 4, Houston 2
The Illini struck first with runs in the second and third innings as sophomore Rhein Trochim registered her first career RBI on a bunt single in the second, before redshirt-senior Carly Thomas made it 2-0 on an RBI single to right field, scoring senior Alexis Carrillo.
The Cougars (1-3) answered back with a pair of scores in the fifth, but the Illini put together a two-run rally in the seventh as Powell reached on an error to score Trochim and Thomas notched nother RBI single to plate sophomore Katie Wingerter for the 4-2 edge.
Sickels then entered in the seventh and secured her second save of the season with a three-up, three-down inning.
Senior Emily Oestreich (2-0) earned the win after giving up just two earned runs on four hits and two walks in 5.2 innings, with Mouzon throwing a scoreless two-thirds of an inning in the sixth.
UI posted eight hits in the win, while UH notched four knocks and two errors, with Thomas leading the way with a 2-for-4 effort with two RBI. Trochim turned in two hits, an RBI and a run, while Carrillo also added two hits and a run.
Next Up
The Illini wrap up action at the Houston Invitational on Sunday (February 10) against Sam Houston State at 11:30 a.m. CT.
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