COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Illinois softball (13-33, 3-14 Big Ten) fell to Maryland in the series finale, 8-1, on Sunday afternoon.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Illinois quickly brought runners aboard, with Skylar Brennan and Adisyn Caryl notching a pair of consecutive base hits, but a pair of fielder's choice outs and a fly out ended the half inning.
Maryland also put runners on in the first, behind an Illinois error and a base hit from Bailey Murphy. The Terrapins brought both runs home to score with a two-RBI double from Matti Benson, and a third came around on an RBI single from Caroline Fox.
Freshman Brooke Stang reached base in the second frame on a walk, advanced into scoring position on a wild pitch, and Ava Moore also reached on a walk. Brennan reached on an error, which allowed Stang to come home for the Fighting Illini's lone run of the day.
Starting pitcher Danika Frazier and the Illinois defense held Maryland scoreless for the next four innings, limiting the home team to five hits.
Illinois loaded the bases in the fifth, as Jackie Yeager was hit by pitch, Stang reached on a four-pitch walk, and Gabrielle Debevec was also hit by pitch, but the final strikeout was recorded before any runs could score.
A pair of errors from the Fighting Illini put two Maryland runners on base, and an RBI double from Murphy increased Maryland's advantage to three runs. The Terrapins tallied three more runs in the half inning, with a base hit from Mariah Penta and two-RBI double from Lauren Caye.
Yeager reached base in the final inning on a full-count walk, her second of the day. Stang proceeded to push her into scoring position with a base hit, but the Orange and Blue could not mount a comeback, and Maryland secured the series with an 8-1 victory.
POSTGAME NOTES
- Danika Frazier earned her fourth start of the season in the circle, hurling 5.2 innings and conceding just one earned run.
- The sophomore tallied three strikeouts, her first conference outing of the season with three or more, and walked none.
- Adisyn Caryl was 2-for-3 at the plate along with a walk, her 12th multi-hit game of the season.
- Skylar Brennan was 1-for-3 at the plate with a walk.
- Brooke Stang was a perfect 1-for-1 at the plate with two walks, her fifth hit of the season and second of the weekend.
- Illinois was hit by pitch three times for the third time this season and first time in Big Ten play.
UP NEXT
Illinois returns home for its final five-game homestand of the season, opening with Indiana State on Tuesday, April 21, at 5 p.m. CT, before hosting Penn State, April 24-26, for its last home conference series.
