IOWA CITY, Iowa. – Powered by grand slams from sophomore Katie Wingerter and redshirt-senior Carly Thomas, the Illinois softball team opened its Big Ten Conference series at Iowa with a 12-1 five-inning, run-rule victory over the Hawkeyes on a cold Friday (April 12) at the Bob Pearl Softball Complex.
"We played Illini Softball today," said head coach Tyra Perry. "Sydney Sickels was masterful on the mound and our defense supported her. Katie Wingerter and Carly Thomas both came up big for us at the plate."
Thomas paced the Illini (25-13, 5-5 B1G) at the plate with game-highs of five RBI and four runs on two hits, with senior Kiana Sherlund and sophomores Bella Loya and Rhein Trochim also adding two hits each in the rout.
In a homecoming game for Sickels, the Indianola, Iowa native held the Hawkeyes (17-7) to just one run on one hit and two walks and struck out six in four innings to earn the win. Junior Akilah Mouzon finished off the win with a one-hit, one-walk fifth frame.
The Illini scored in every inning as back-to-back RBI singles from Thomas and Loya in the opening inning started off the scoring, before an RBI double from redshirt-senior Annie Fleming made it 3-0 in the second.
After a solo home run in the bottom of the second got the Hawkeyes on the board, the Illini came right back with the Wingerter grand slam in the third and an RBI double from senior Veronica Ruelius in the fourth, before Thomas capped the scoring with the day's second grand slam in the fifth.
Illini Notes
- This is just the second time in program history that the Illini have registered two grand slams in a single game. The first time came on February 9, 2007 with Kisten Martin and Shanna Diller each hitting a grand slam in an 11-5 win over FIU.
- It is the third time in program history that Illinois has hit two grand slams in a single day, with the second occurrence coming on March 21, 2007 when Nicole Evans and Emily Brodner each hit a grand slam in a doubleheader with UIC.
Next Up
The Illini wrap up their three-game conference series with the Hawkeyes with a Saturday (April 13) doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. CT at Bob Pearl Softball Field.
For more Fighting Illini softball news, stay tuned to FIGHTINGILLINI.com and follow @IlliniSB on social media: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook.
