LEESBURG, Fla. – Illinois completed the series sweep over Penn State on Sunday morning, defeating the Nittany Lions 8-0 and improving to 10-2 on the season. The offense tallied 11 hits en route to a dominant victory to wrap up the second weekend in Leesburg, Florida.
Tori McQueen earned her second start in an Illini uniform in game three against the Nittany Lions. The freshman pitched five innings, allowing no runs on just three hits while striking out four as the Illini continued to build off their dominant pitching all weekend.
Illinois scored first as Kailee Powell laced a one-out triple to right center in the bottom of the first inning, allowing Bella Loya to bring her in with a sacrifice fly to left field. The Illini would hang on to a one run lead until the fifth inning, when the offense exploded for a six-run inning.
Loya notched the first RBI of the inning with a single that ricocheted off the pitcher, scoring Lakyn Wagoner who had reached base by getting hit by a pitch. Maddison Demers reached on an error by the Penn State shortstop, allowing Powell to score and extend the Illini lead to 3-0.Â
Shelby Stauffenberg came in as a pinch hitter for Kelly Ryono and notched a single up the middle, advancing to second on the throw from center field and scoring Miranda Gallardo, who entered as a pinch runner earlier in the inning. Delaney Rummell, who went 2-for-3 with two RBI's, lined a two-RBI double to left center, followed by an RBI single down the left field line by Katie Wingerter. Wingerter went 2-for-3 with an RBI in the victory. Illinois piled on six runs on four hits in the inning to take a 7-0 lead into the sixth.
Addy Jarvis entered the game for McQueen in the sixth inning, allowing no runs and no hits while striking out one. The Illini added one more run in the bottom of the sixth to walk off on a run-rule, as Demers lined a double to right field, scoring Avrey Steiner and securing the eight-run win for the Illini.
UP NEXT
Illinois is off for a week before returning to Eichelberger Field for the home-opening series against Minnesota beginning Friday, March 26.
