URBANA, Ill. -Â In the Big Ten home season opener, the Fighting Illini softball team clinched a series victory over the Wisconsin Badgers thanks to a Saturday doubleheader sweep over the Badgers. Illinois won game one of the series 4-1, and grabbed game two by a score of 4-2.
The Illini were dominant both at the plate and in the circle against the Badgers Saturday. Sophomore left hander Tori McQueen had herself a day in the circle, pitching two-straight complete games and striking out 16 batters (13 in game one, three in game two) while allowing just five total hits (two in game one, three in game two) and walking two batters, including none in the game one victory.
At the plate, senior Avrey Steiner continued her tear at the plate and extended her hitting streak to 12-straight games with a 2-for-3 effort in game one and a 2-for-2 line in game two. Freshman Stevie Meade went a combined 3-for-6 at the plate, with three RBI and a two-run home run in game two, while junior Delaney Rummell launched her team-leading eighth home run in game two en route to a 2-for-3 effort with two RBI in game two. Sophomore Megan Ward, freshman Paige Berkmeyer, and junior Gabi Robles also added an RBI in game one. In addition, Illinois struck out just one time across today's doubleheader, with no Illini being sat down via strikeout in game one.
Illinois head coach Tyra Perry also earned her 200th career victory as head coach of the Fighting Illini after the game one victory over the Badgers.Â
"Tori McQueen was a true warrior in the circle. She battled to keep us in both games. Delaney Rummell and Stevie Meade swung the bat with authority" head coach Tyra Perry said. "It's always difficult to win in the Big Ten and I thought we showed a lot of toughness today."
GAME ONE | ILLINI 4, BADGERS 1
After a leadoff single from the Badgers in the first, McQueen was able to work around the single by striking out two batters and inducing a line out to shortstop to end the Badgers hopes of scoring early. McQueen then sat down the Badgers in order in the second, adding on two more strikeouts.Â
In the bottom of the second with the Illini up to bat, Rummell singled past the third baseman and Kailee Powell worked a walk to put runners on first and second with just one out. Berkmeyer then singled to put Illinois' first run on the board, and Robles followed her with a single of her own to push the score to 2-0 Illinois through two innings.
Two more strikeouts from McQueen in the third kept the Badgers off the board, and Illinois loaded the bases in the bottom half of the inning after a Kelly Ryono single found its way through the middle of the infield. However, a fielders choice negated Steiner from scoring, and a double play ended Illinois' scoring chances in the third.
Wisconsin got on the board in the top half of the fourth via a solo home run, but McQueen was able to strike out another two batters to keep the Illinois lead to one. The Illini responded quickly in the bottom half of the inning. After Powell led the inning off with a walk, Berkmeyer reached base on an error by the pitcher and Robles grounded out to advance the runners to second and third, a groundout RBI from Ward tallied another Illini run. A Steiner walk and Meade single to right field extended Illinois' lead to 4-1 through four innings.
The Badgers again threatened in the top of the fifth after a fielding error and hit batter put two runners on, but McQueen again responded with two strikeouts to end the Badger's chances. McQueen then struck out three more batters in the sixth and seventh innings, including the final two batters of the game to seal Illinois' 4-1 series opening victory in game one of the doubleheader.
GAME TWO | ILLINI 4, BADGERS 2
McQueen again took the circle to start for the Illini in game two, and picked up right where she left off in game one, sitting down the Badgers in order and adding another strikeout. A leadoff walk from Ward and a stolen base put her in scoring position early, but Illinois was unable to bring her around to score.
Another 1-2-3 inning from McQueen in the second led to another Illinois threat, but for the second inning in a row the Illini left a runner on base. Wisconsin notched their first baserunner in the third after a walk, but McQueen worked around it and sat down the Badgers on a pop out.
Illinois then found four runs on four hits in the bottom of the third inning, including a pair of two-RBI home runs, all with two outs. Steiner bunted for a single and was brought to the plate after Meade launched her third home run of the season, a deep shot to left field, to put Illinois up 2-0. Ryono then walked and Rummell brought her to the plate with a two-run home run of her own to push the score to 4-0 through three innings.
Both teams went down quickly in both the fourth and fifth innings as McQueen kept her composure In the circle to retire the Badgers bats. Wisconsin grabbed a run in the bottom of the sixth after a leadoff walk came around to score on a single through the left side, and Illinois was unable to bring Zoe Caryl to the plate in the bottom half of the sixth after her single.
In the seventh, Wisconsin found another run after a pinch-hit lead off solo home run left the field in center, but McQueen was able to retire the final three batters to clinch the series over the Badgers and win the game by a score of 4-2.
UP NEXT
The series finale for the Illini and the Badgers is set to begin at 12:00 p.m. CT tomorrow (April 10) at Eichelberger Field. Fans can follow the game live on B1G+.
