LOUISVILLE, Ky. – In the final game of the 2022 Louisville Cardinal Classic, the RV/RV Fighting Illini softball team took just five innings to defeat Western Michigan in a run-rule 9-0 victory.
Redshirt sophomore Jaelyn Vickery led the Illini (9-5) at the plate, knocking in five runs on a triple and her first-career grand slam, the second slam on the weekend for the Illini. Freshman Stevie Meade also knocked in two runs on two hits, and graduate student Bella Loya also recorded an RBI.
In the circle, senior Sydney Sickels was dominant yet again, tossing a complete game, one hit shutout while walking just one and striking out 10 Broncos, her third game this season reaching double digit strikeouts.
"We brought a ton of energy today and we were able to sustain it throughout the game. Jaelyn Vickery set the tone for us at the plate as she continues to absolutely crush the ball" head coach Tyra Perry said.
HOW IT HAPPENED
After a quick 1-2-3 inning in the circle from Sickels, the Illini wasted no time getting the scoring started. After a leadoff single by Avrey Steiner, Meade walked and Loya reached on a fielder's choice to load the bases for Vickery. On a 1-1 count, Vickery annihilated a ball to deep right field that went well out of the ballpark for a grand slam to put Illinois up 4-0 in the first.
Sickels struck out the side in the second and gave way to the Illini bats in the bottom half of the inning, where they continued to stay hot. After back-to-back walks from Megan Ward and Zoe Caryl, Meade mashed a double to left center field to plate the two runners and extend the Illini lead to 6-0.
Sickels issued a walk and let up a single to left field to put two runners on in the top of the third, but was able to work out of the jam, inducing a pop out to Steiner to end Western Michigan's best scoring chance.
After another 1-2-3 inning from Sickels, the Illini added more runs on the board thanks to a bases-loaded sac fly from Loya, a triple from Vickery, and a wild pitch that extended the Illini lead to 9-0. In the top half of the fifth, Sickels made quick work of the Bronco batters, striking out the first and final hitters of the frame to seal the run-rule 9-0 victory in five innings.
CARDINAL CLASSIC NOTES
- Illinois improved to 9-5 overall after a 3-1 weekend at the Louisville Cardinal Classic.
- Illinois shut out its opponents in all three victories, outscoring opponents 33-9 over the weekend.
- Redshirt Sophomore Jaelyn Vickery continued her tear at the plate this weekend, knocking four hits (two triples, grand slam), scoring seven runs, and notching five RBIs on the weekend.
- Freshman Stevie Meade continued her strong freshman campaign with seven hits and four doubles on the weekend, knocking in four RBIs.
- Junior Delaney Rummell led the Illini in RBIs this weekend, knocking in six runners on four hits and a grand slam.
- Sophomore Megan Ward continued to find hits, posting six on the weekend including two doubles.
- Senior Sydney Sickels was again dominant in the circle this weekend, going 2-0 on the weekend while allowing just one run in 10.2 IP. She walked just two batters while striking out 15. She also added a one hit, complete game shutout of Western Michigan.
- Sophomore Tori McQueen continued to find her stride this weekend, allowing two runs over 8.2 innings this weekend while walking just one batter and striking out 17.
- McQueen tossed her best game of her career on Saturday vs. Hofstra, going the full seven innings while giving up just two hits and striking out a career-high 15 batters, the second-most in a single game in Illinois history.
UP NEXT
The Illini will head to Clemson, S.C. next weekend (March 12-13) for the Tiger Invitational hosted by Clemson University. Illinois is set to face off against the Tigers and the Liberty Flames twice on the weekend in what will likely be four ranked matchups for the Illini.
