URBANA, Ill. – A seven-run sixth inning helped power Fighting Illini softball to victory over Michigan State, 12-8, at Eichelberger Field on Saturday night.
Illinois moved to 26-21 overall and 5-11 in Big Ten play following the win. MSU fell to 12-27 this year and 2-14 after the loss.
Sydney Sickels got the win out of the bullpen for Illinois. The right-hander went three innings, giving up two runs, on four hits, allowing no walks and striking out three. Addy Jarvis got the start, pitching 3.1 innings while allowing four runs on six hits while fanning a pair of Spartan batters. Lauren Wiles went 0.2 innings in relief.
Kelly Ryono led the way offensively for the Fighting Illini, going 3-for-5 in the ballgame with a home run and three RBI. Megan Ward furnished a standout performance at the plate as well, going 1-for-4 with a triple and an RBI. Kailee Powell was impressive at the dish, posting a 2-for-4 performance with an RBI. Stevie Meade helped out, going 1-for-4 for Illinois with a double, a walk and an RBI.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Illinois struck first in the opening frame with a pair of wild pitches helping the Orange and Blue plate the first run of the day.
After a scoreless second, MSU knotted the game in the top of the third, scoring on a sacrifice fly.
The Illini fought back in the bottom of the inning, with Meade beginning a rally with a leadoff double. Two came across in the frame with Powell logging an RBI single, putting Illinois ahead 3-1 heading to the fourth.
The advantage was short lived as Michigan State plated a pair in the following frame with one out on the board. With Wiles moving to the circle, another run came across on a wild pitch, leaving the Fighting Illini behind 4-3.
With two away, Ryono recorded a single in the bottom of the fourth. Malott advanced the runner home with an RBI single, tying the game once more.
The Spartans broke open the game in the fifth, taking a 6-4 lead with a solo homer and a fielder's choice plating a pair of runs. Illinois loaded the bases with one out on the board in the bottom of the fifth. An error added a run for the Illini, cutting the oppositions advantage in half.
During the teams next at bat, Ward tallied an RBI triple, tying the game, before an infield single by Delaney Rummell gave the Fighting Illini the one-run edge. A walk and a wild pitch extended the 9-6 lead before Ryono blasted a three-run dinger over the fence to cap off a seven-run inning.
Michigan State did not go down quietly, scoring a pair in the top of the seventh. However, the rally was not enough to catch the Illini as Illinois took home the 12-8 victory.
GAME NOTES
» Illinois wore grey uniforms, moving to 6-6 when wearing those.
» The Fighting Illini moved to 15-3 when scoring in the first.
» The Illini jumped to 22-6 when scoring first.
» Sickels improved to 12-9 this year in the circle.
» Four Fighting Illini had multiple hits in the ballgame.
» The Fighting Illini out-hit the Spartans at a 12-11 clip.
» Illinois went 6-for-13 (.462) with runners in scoring position.
» The Illini improved to 27-7 all-time against Michigan State
» By securing the win on Saturday, Illinois won its first Big ten series since April 29-May 1, 2022 when the team took 2-of-3 from Indiana.
UP NEXT
Illinois goes for the series sweep of MSU on Sunday afternoon. First pitch from Eichelberger Field is slated for noon on B1G+.
