IOWA CITY, Iowa. – The Illinois softball team secured its second Big Ten Conference series of the season with a doubleheader split on Saturday (April 13) afternoon at the Bob Pearl Softball Complex. The Illini earned a come-from-behind 12-11 win in game one, before falling 4-3 in eight innings in game two.
"Winning the series is great, but we had a chance to come away with a sweep," said head coach Tyra Perry. "We played good softball, but did not end with our best efforts in game three."
The Illini (26-14, 6-6 B1G) were led offensively by redshirt-senior Carly Thomas and sophomore Bella Loya with a .500 batting average at the plate and three RBI on the day. Thomas posted a 4-for-8 performance with a double and a home run as well as three runs, while Loya turned in a 3-for-6 performance with a homer and a run.
Game One: Illinois 12, Iowa 10
In a back-and-forth contest, the Illini jumped out to a quick 2-0 edge in the top of the first on a Thomas sac fly and a solo home run from Loya, before the Hawkeyes tied things up with two runs in the bottom of the frame.
Iowa then stormed ahead with five unearned runs – including a grand slam – to take a 7-2 advantage in the second. After both teams plated a pair in the third, Thomas knocked her second dinger of the weekend – a two-run shot to centerfield – to pull the Illini within 9-6 in the fourth.
The Hawkeyes then led off the fifth with a solo homer to push their lead to 10-6, but the Illini continued to battle as UI opened the sixth inning with five-straight hits en route to a six-run inning – highlighted by RBI knocks from redshirt-senior Annie Fleming, senior Kiana Sherlund, Loya and freshman Kailee Powell – to take a 12-10 advantage.
A solo homer for the home team in the seventh closed the edge to 12-11, but freshman Sydney Sickels and the Illini defense held strong to secure the victory.
Senior Emily Oestreich (6-2) earned the win after giving up three runs – only one earned – on three hits and a walk in three solid innings of relief, with Sickels entering in the sixth and earning her fourth save of the season after allowing just one earned run on three hits and striking out two in two innings. Senior Taylor Edwards started and went two frames, allowing seven runs – with only two earned – on four hits and two walks and struck out two.
Game Two: Iowa 4, Illinois 3 // 8 innings
After the Hawkeyes struck first with an unearned run scored on a throwing error in the first, the Illini came right back with RBI singles from sophomore Katie Wingerter in the second and senior Veronica Ruelius in the fifth to retake a 2-1 lead.
Loya added a big insurance run on an RBI single in the top of the seventh, but Iowa then tied things up with a two-out, two-RBI double in the bottom of the seventh to force extras.
Down to their final out and with the bases loaded, the Hawkeyes brought in the game-winning run on a fielding error in the bottom of the eighth.
Sickels (17-8) allowed just two earned runs on six hits and three walks, while striking out three in the complete game setback.
Next Up
The Illini next return to the friendly confines of Eichelberger Field for a four-game homestand, starting with a midweek match-up with SIUE on Wednesday (April 17) at 5 p.m. CT, before hosting No. 21/18/24 Michigan in a three-game conference series on April 19-21.
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