URBANA, Ill. — Illinois softball (8-16, 0-1 Big Ten) fell to Iowa, 21-15, on Friday evening at Eichelberger Field, in its first outing of Big Ten play and highest-scoring game of the season.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Iowa started quickly, adding three runs in the opening frame, but Illinois immediately responded, led by base hits from Keirys Click and Adisyn Caryl, and a sacrifice bunt from Skylar Brennan to score the first run. Eileen Donahue quickly earned two more with a two-score home run. Eden Echevarria logged a base hit and Delaney Mosley and Ava Moore reached base behind her, before Click sent a grand slam to center field, the first for Illinois this season. The Orange and Blue led 8-3 after the first inning.
Kiara Sipe added an RBI single in the second for Iowa, but a pair of walks and an RBI single from Donahue increased the Illinois advantage to six runs.
The Hawkeyes plated eight runs in the third, led by home runs from Brianna Johnson and Leah McAnally, taking a 12-10 lead. They added two more in the fourth, including another home run for Johnson. Illinois got three back in the bottom of the frame, including Haggard's seventh home run of the season. Echevarria added her second base hit of the evening, coming across to score on a wild pitch, and cutting the deficit to one.
Nailyn Marshall tallied a solo home run for Iowa in the top of the fifth, but Donahue responded with a second two-score home run, her third home run of the year. The Hawkeyes then added six runs in the sixth and one in the seventh to take the 21-15 win.
Abby Sabalaskey threw 4.2 innings in the circle and was tagged with the loss, falling to 5-6.
POSTGAME NOTES
- Illinois last scored 15 or more runs in a game on March 27, 2024, when it defeated SIUE in six innings, 19-9.
- The last time the Orange and Blue scored 15 or more runs in a Big Ten contest was on April 3, 2022, when Illinois defeated Minnesota on the road, 15-5.
- Eileen Donahue was a perfect three-for-three at the plate, launching two home runs and driving in four RBI.
- Her multi-homer game is the third by an Illini this season.
- Keirys Click logged the first Illinois grand slam of the season in the first frame to drive in four RBI of her own.
- Four RBI is Click's most since tallying five against Providence (2/21/26).
- Adisyn Caryl went two-for-three at the plate, her ninth multi-hit outing of 2026, and third in the month of March.
- Ellie Haggard went two-for-four at the plate, including her seventh home run of 2026.
- Eden Echevarria registered her first multi-hit outing as an Illini, going 2-for-4 at the plate.
UP NEXT
The Fighting Illini conclude the series against the Hawkeyes tomorrow, Saturday, March 14, with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. CT. Game two will commence approximately 30 minutes following the end of game one. Admission is free at Eichelberger Field, and both games will stream on B1G+.
