LEESBURG, Fla. – Illinois softball split Saturday's doubleheader with Maryland, winning the first game 7-5 and dropping the second, 3-2. Both games went into extra innings, providing thrilling finishes to the two contests. With the exception of the eighth inning of Game 1 in which the Illini and Terrapins combined for 10 runs scored, both games were low-scoring, hard-fought pitcher's duels.
GAME 1 (Illinois 7, Maryland 5)
Tori McQueen made her first start for the Illini, allowing one run in the first inning, then settling in for an impressive starting debut. The freshman allowed just one run on three hits in 4.1 innings of work while striking out three.
The Illini bats were quiet until the sixth inning when Delaney Rummell notched a sac fly, scoring Jaelyn Vickery and tying the game at 1 heading into the seventh. Addy Jarvis entered the game for McQueen, shutting down the Terps in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings to send the game into extras.
The Illinois offense exploded in the top half of the eighth inning putting up seven runs on six hits to give the Illini a 7-1 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth. Vickery stole second to open up the eighth, allowing Rhein Trochim (who was placed on second to start the inning as a result of the ITB rule) to score on the throw. Avrey Steiner would follow up with a bunt single, scoring Vickery.
Kailee Powell doubled to center field, scoring steiner. Back-to-back singles from Maddison Demers and Katie Wingerter added three more runs in the inning for the Illini.
Maryland threatened to make a comeback in the bottom half of the eighth inning with back-to-back hits and a groundout scoring a run, but the effort ultimately fell short as Illinois would come out on top with a 7-5 win, improving to 3-0 on the season. The Illini and Terrapins combined for ten runs scored in the eighth inning alone.
GAME 2 (Maryland 3, Illinois 2)
The second game of Saturday's doubleheader was another thriller that also went into extra innings. Kelsie Packard got the start for the Illini, going 5.1 innings while giving up four hits and one run. Illinois plated their first run of the game in the third inning as Rummell laced a double to the right center gap, scoring Powell.
Maryland went up 2-1 with a single in the top of the seventh inning, but the Illini would respond in the bottom half with a single up the middle from Wingerter, scoring Kelly Ryono.
The Terrapins added one more run on a single in the top of the eighth to go up 3-2, and would hang on in the home half of the eighth inning to win, 3-2.
UP NEXT
The Illini have two more opportunities on Sunday, February 28, taking on Michigan in the final doubleheader of the weekend. Game one will start at 8 a.m. CT with game two to follow, and both games will be streamed on BTN+.
