ATHENS, Ga. – On day one of the UGA Classic, the Fighting Illini softball team found themselves on both ends of shutouts, beginning the day by shutting out Mercer 8-0 and ending the day being shut out by No. 16/21 Georgia 0-5.
The Illini tossed a combined-shutout in game one, with sophomore leftie Tori McQueen tossing five scoreless innings with one hit and nine strikeouts, and freshman right hander Lauren Wiles tossing two scoreless innings, giving up just one hit and striking out three. At the plate, sophomore Megan Ward added three hits and an RBI, redshirt junior Danielle Davis added three hits and an RBI, while graduate student Bella Loya added two hits and an RBI and freshman Zoe Caryl added her first collegiate RBI.
In game two, the Illini were able to keep the game scoreless for the first three innings before No. 16/21 Georgia got on the board. Despite multiple scoring opportunities, the Illini were unable to plate a run for just the second time this season in 22 games. Freshman Stevie Meade, Loya, and Rummell were all able to grab hits in the game.
GAME ONE | ILLINI 8, MERCER 0
After loading the bases to begin the game, the Illini were unable to break through for a run, but McQueen came back in the bottom half of the first to shut down the Mercer. McQueen proceeded to strike out the side in the second and add two more strikeouts in the third, bringing her total to seven strikeouts through three innings.
Illinois' bats came alive in the fourth. With runners on first and third, Caryl stepped to the plate and notched a double to score Jaelyn Vickery and put the Illini on the board. Another double by Davis scored Delaney Rummell, and a Ward ground out added a third run for the Illini in the fourth.
McQueen again silenced the Mercer bats in the fourth and fifth innings, allowing the Illini to add to their lead in the sixth inning. In the sixth, a bases-loaded single from Avrey Steiner allowed Davis to score, and a Ward grabbed home plate on a double-steal to push the run count to five. A Loya double down the left field line brought Steiner home, and the Illini led 6-0 heading into the final frame.
Illinois wasn't done scoring in the seventh, as a bases-loaded sac fly by Kelly Ryono added another Illini run followed by a Meade infield-single to push the score to 8-0. Mercer went down in order in the bottom of the seventh inning on two ground outs and a strikeout to seal the 8-0 shutout victory for the Illini.
GAME TWO | ILLINOIS 0, #16/21 GEORGIA 5
Both teams went down quickly in the first two innings, getting runners on via walks but were unable to plate them. In the bottom of the third, Sydney Sickels was able to pitch out of a jam with two runners on by striking out the final Bulldog batter to keep Georgia off the board.
Georgia grabbed their first run of the day in the fourth on a leadoff solo shot to right field. The Bulldogs again had two runners on, but Sickels was able to limit the damage by striking out a batter and inducing a flyout to left field.
With freshman Lauren Wiles entering the circle for the Illini in the top of the fifth inning, she was able to strand two runners on via a backwards K to end the fifth.
Illinois' best scoring opportunity came in the sixth inning after Steiner reached base on an error by the shortstop, Meade singled, and Loya reached on an error at first base to juice the bases for the Illini with one out. However, a flyout to the left fielder and fly out to center ended Illinois' chances in the sixth.
The bottom half of the sixth saw the Bulldogs plate four runs on a three-run home run and a RBI-single to extend the lead to 5-0. In the top of the seventh, the Illini were able to scratch a single by Kelly Ryono but lined out to end the game in favor of the Bulldogs 5-0.
UP NEXT
Illinois will wrap up action at the UGA Classic tomorrow morning/afternoon, facing Dartmouth at 9:30 a.m. CT and a rematch with Georgia at 12 p.m. CT.
