COLUMBIA, S.C. – Illinois softball topped UNCW, 6-1, at the Gamecock Invitational on Saturday morning at Carolina Softball Complex.
With their fifth-straight victory, the Fighting Illini improved to 11-5 on the year. UNCW fell to 4-11 this season with the loss.
Tori McQueen got the win in the circle for Illinois, improving to 2-2 for her junior campaign. The southpaw went the distance, giving up one run on four hits and striking out five. The outing marked the second complete game for McQueen this year.
Senior Delaney Rummell led the way offensively for the Fighting Illini, going 2-for-4 at the plate with a home run and two RBI. Kelly Ryono also went going 2-for-3 at the dish with an RBI.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Fighting Illini fell behind early as UNCW blasted a homer to centerfield in the second frame.
Trailing 1-0 heading into the fourth inning, Rummell knotted the game with a dinger of her own, sending the ball over the wall in left field.
The Fighting Illini put runs on the scoreboard once again in the fifth as an RBI single off the bat of Ryono gave the Orange and Blue the 2-1 edge.
The team held the Seahawks scoreless before expanding their lead the following inning. Stevie Meade and Sydney Malott reached on a single and walk, respectively, with just one out on the board. Danielle Davis brought the runners home with a pinch-hit double, adding to the 4-1 advantage.
The Orange and Blue continued to cruise with an RBI single from Rummell and a sacrifice fly by Kailee Powell scoring the final two runs for the Fighting Illini. Despite back-to-back singles by the Seahawks in the bottom of the seventh, McQueen kept UNCW off the board in the final frame, closing out the 6-1 triumph in the first game of the day for Illinois.
The Illini return to action with a battle against tournament host South Carolina at 2 p.m. CT.
GAME NOTES.
» The Illini wore orange jerseys, moving to 4-0 while wearing those.
» The Fighting Illini out-hit the Seahawks at a 10-4 clip.
» Illinois went 3-for-9 (.333) with runners in scoring position.
» The contest marked the eighth complete game thrown by a member of the Orange and Blue pitching staff.
» The five fanned batters marked a season high for McQueen.
» The 10 hits for Illinois was the second most for the Illini offense this season.
