EVANSTON, Ill. – Illinois picked up a win in the first game of the series on Friday, taking down Northwestern, 4-2. Bella Loya and Avrey Steiner both had multi-hit games at the plate, while Sydney Sickels finished her 11th complete game and seventh double-digit strikeout game of the season. The Illini are now 21-12 following the series-opening win over the Wildcats.
"Today was a hard fought victory against a very good Northwestern team," said head coach Tyra Perry. "We came out swinging and had several clutch hits to score early. Sydney [Sickels] was a warrior in the circle. I am proud of our overall effort."
Bella Loya hit her team-leading fourth home run of the season to put the Illini ahead 1-0 in the top of the first inning. The score would remain 1-0 until the top of the fourth, when Illinois added three more runs on a rally sparked by Loya, who led off the inning with a double off the left field wall.Â
Rummell followed up with an RBI double to extend the Illini lead, before Kelly Ryono hit the third Illini double of the inning down the left field line, scoring Rummell. Morgan Scivally lined an RBI single to left field to score Ryono and give Illinois a 4-0 lead heading into the bottom of the fourth inning.
Northwestern tallied two runs in the top of the fifth inning to cut the Illini lead in half on a two-out, two-RBI double to the left center gap.
Sydney Sickels pitched another great game for the Illini, picking up her 12th win of the season as she threw another complete game, striking out ten while giving up six hits and two runs. Northwestern brought the tying run to the plate in both the sixth and seventh innings, but Sickels was able to shut down the Wildcats to secure win for the Orange and Blue.
UP NEXT
The Illini take on Northwestern with games two and three of the series on Saturday, May 1st with game one of the doubleheader beginning at 12 pm CT.
