EAST LANSING, Mich. – A late rally from Illinois softball fell short as the team lost in a Big Ten clash against Michigan State, 6-5, at Secchia Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Fighting Illini dropped to 17-26 this year with a 4-11 league record with the loss. The Spartans improved to 16-27 overall and 3-13 in conference play.
Lauren Wiles tossed a complete game and took the loss, allowing six runs on six hits. Offensively, Adisyn Caryl posted a solid performance at the dish with a 2-for-3 performance and two RBI. Kelly Ryono went 2-for-5 at the plate with an RBI.
How it happened
Illinois struck first in the opening frame, drawing a bases-loaded walk. However, the lead did not last, with MSU scoring four unanswered runs.
Trailing 4-1 in the top of the fourth, the Orange and Blue gained a run back, scoring off a fielding error by the Spartan shortstop. Caryl added an RBI single in the frame, cutting the deficit to just a run.
Michigan State extended its advantage in the bottom of the fourth, and another Spartan scored in the sixth, putting Illinois behind, 6-3, with three outs remaining.
Rallying in the seventh, Sydney Malott began the inning by reaching third on a pair of errors by MSU. A single by Megan Ward during the next at-bat scored the Illini runner. An RBI single by Ryono cut the deficit to one, but it was the closest the team came, dropping the contest, 6-5.
Up Next
The Fighting Illini's final game of the weekend series at Michigan State is slated for 12 p.m. CT on B1G+.
Notes
» Illinois wore white jerseys, moving to 3-7 while donning those.
» The Illini moved to 29-8 against MSU.
» Kelly Ryono extended her hitting streak to six games.
» Ryono also tallied her 200th career hit in the game.
» Illinois stranded 13 runners on base.
» The Fighting Illini out-hit the Spartans at a 10-6 clip.
