Box Score RALEIGH, N.C. — Illinois softball (4-7, 0-0 B1G) opened its Raleigh Classic with a 4-1 victory over Akron on Friday evening. The Orange and Blue will play an adjusted schedule, now facing host NC State on Sunday, Feb. 22 at 10:30 a.m. CT.
How It Happened
To start the first frame, Ady Kiddy put the ball in play and reached on an error by Akron's third baseman. Eileen Donahue brought Kiddy around to score with an RBI single.
No more runs would score until the Illini plated an additional pair in the sixth, jumpstarted by a solo home run from Ellie Haggard, her second in as many games. Delaney Mosley and pinch hitter Ella Cushing added base hits, and pinch hitter Gabrielle Debevec reached on an error, allowing pinch runner Eden Echevarria to score.
Both teams added one final run in the seventh frame. Kiddy walked and a hit from Adisyn Caryl into right field advanced her to third. A ground out from Donahue scored Kiddy.
An RBI double from Meagan Lee put Akron on the board, but its brief comeback was ended with two quick strikeouts from left-handed pitcher Abby Sabalaskey.
Sabalaskey went the distance in the circle and improved to 3-1 on the year, pitching six scoreless innings, with ten hits against and six strikeouts.
Postgame Notes
- Sabalaskey's complete game represents the first by an Illinois pitcher this season and the first of her collegiate career
- She also owns the best record of the pitching staff at 3-1
- Ady Kiddy extends her streak to five consecutive games with a hit
- Kiddy scored multiple runs for the third time this season
- Ellie Haggard scored her second home run of the season and fourth of her career against the Zips
- Haggard owns a hit in eight of 11 contests this year
- Adisyn Caryl notched her third multi-hit game of the year, and third consecutive game with a hit
- Eileen Donahue owns hits in both outings she has played in this season
- The victory is Illinois' first this season in which they were out-hit
- The Orange and Blue improve to 3-2 on Fridays this season
Up Next
Illinois returns to action at Dail Softball Stadium for a pair of games on Saturday, Feb. 21, starting with a rematch against Akron at 8:30 a.m. CT, and finishing with a game against Providence at 11 a.m. CT.
