Minnesota vs Illinois | Big Ten Softball - Game 2 | Softball - Apr 6, 2019 at 1:51 PM EDT
The Illinois softball team had an action-packed doubleheader against No. 19 Minnesota on a sunny Saturday (April 6) afternoon as the Illini opened the day with sophomore Katie Wingerter knocking a two-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the eighth inning for the 4-3 extra-inning victory, before falling in game two, 10-3, at Eichelberger Field.
"We have shown really strong attributes as far as what we teach on the offensive side, the defensive side and pitching and at times we have also been really lacking," said head coach Tyra Perry. "Today we showed both. In the first game, I thought we played a good game up until the top of the seventh where the pressure was on and we cracked a little bit, but we stayed strong and found back, so that was great. Then in the second game, it was just a lack of focus. The wind picked up a little bit. The umpire zones are sometimes not favorable to us, but we have been there before. We know what to do in order to make the pitcher have to make adjustments at the plate. We know what to do in order to make their hitters have to make adjustments from the pitching stand point and we are just not doing those things consistently."
The Illini's last win over the Gophers also came as a 4-3 walk-off win as redshirt-senior Annie Flemingdrove in the game-winning run on an RBI double two years ago during the 2017 season.
Game One: Illinois 4, No. 19 Minnesota 3 // 8 innings
The Illini (24-11, 4-5 B1G) broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the third as back-to-back singles from senior Kiana Sherlund and redshirt-senior Carly Thomas put runners at first and second, before redshirt-senior Annie Fleming doubled down the right field line for the 1-0 edge.
A Thomas sacrifice fly double the Illini lead in the fifth, but the Gophers (27-8, 8-1 B1G) got a run back on an RBI single in the sixth. Holding a 2-1 advantage into the seventh inning and with the Gophers down to their final out, the visitors scored the tying run on a wild pitch.
The game entered extras as Minnesota led off the eighth with a solo home run for the 3-2 lead. In the bottom of the frame, sophomore Maddison Demers earned a walk, before Wingerter played hero with her third dinger of the season for the 4-3 walk-off winner.
Freshman Sydney Sickels (16-5) picked up the complete game victory after allowing three runs – only two earned – on six hits and two walks and struck out three in eight innings.
The Illini registered seven hits, with Sherlund posting a 2-for-4 effort at the plate with a run.
Game Two: No. 19 Minnesota 10, Illinois 3
A five-run opening inning gave the Gophers the early edge, before the visitors added to their lead with an RBI single in the second frame.
Thomas responded with a two-run homer in the third to cut the lead to 6-2, but UM added a two-run shot in the fourth for the 8-2 advantage.
Freshman Kailee Powell started off the bottom of the fourth with just her second career home run, but the Gophers came right back homers in the sixth and seventh to take the 10-3 decision.
Sickels gave up five earned runs on three hits and two walks in 0.2 innings to take the loss in game two, with senior Taylor Edwards entering in relief and allowing four earned runs on four hits and two walks and striking out two in 4.1 innings. Senior Emily Oestreich (2 BB, 1.0 IP) and junior Akilah Mouzon (1 H, 1 ER, 1.0 IP) also saw action.
The Illini totaled six hits, with sophomore Bella Loya going 2-for-3 and Thomas adding two RBI, a hit and a run in the series finale.
Next Up
The Illini next travels to St. Charles, Missouri, for a neutral-site doubleheader against Missouri on Tuesday (April 9) beginning at 2 p.m. CT at Lindenwood University.
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