May 22, 2010
COLUMBIA, Mo. — The Illinois softball team used a six-run fourth inning to top DePaul, 9-1, in the fifth game of the NCAA Softball Columbia Regional at University Field on Saturday (May 22). The win gives Illinois 45 on the season, tying the most wins by any Illini team in a single season. The six-run fourth was highlighted by a three-run homerun by Illinois left fielder Hope Howell, her seventh of the season. It was only the second homerun in five games at the Columbia Regional.
Illinois will play Missouri tomorrow at 1 p.m. but will need to beat the Tigers twice to advance to the Super Regionals as Mizzou topped Illinois, 3-1, in game three of the Columbia Regional earlier today. Monica Perry earned the win for Illinois as she threw four innings of one-run baseball allowing just three hits. The win is her second of the Regional and moves her season record to 25-6. DePaul finishes the season with a 39-18 overall record while starting pitcher Bree Brown suffered just her sixth loss of the season as she finishes 2010 with a 17-6 overall record.
After Illinois leadoff hitter Danielle Zykowitz lined out hard to third base to open the first inning, left fielder Hope Howell blasted a triple to left center to give Illinois a runner on third with one out. But DePaul starter Bree Brown rallied to strike out the next two batters the end the threat and leave a runner stranded on third base.
DePaul also threatened in its half of the first as Alex Morocco reached base on an error from Zymkowitz – her sixth straight time on base dating back to the previous game against Creighton – but Illinois starter Monica Perry induced a pair of flyouts to get out of the inning. Both of the fly outs reached the warning track as both were well hit.
Illinois used small ball to open the second inning. After Kelly Wedel was hit by a pitch, Audrey Gallien laid down a bunt single and after a throwing error from DePaul third baseman Lynsey Ciezki, Wedell advanced to third base, giving Illinois runners on the corners with no outs. Nikki Simpson pinch ran for Gallien and stole second base to give Illinois two runners in scoring position with no out. Brown retired the next two batters, but a wild pitch with two outs allowed Wedel to score, giving Illinois the lead at 1-0. Simpson advanced to third on the wild pitch and was knocked in after and RBI single from Danielle Vaji to extend the Illini advantage to 2-0 heading into the third inning.
DePaul got a run on the scoreboard in the second inning as well as the Illini defense stumbled in the inning. Zymkowitz nearly made a great play at second to retire the side, but instead Shea Warren reached on a single. That brought Samantha Dodd to the plate and she singled past Zymkowitz and Warren advanced the third on the throw from Zymkowitz. While that happened, Dodd made an attempt to advance to second base and thanks to a throwing error from Wedel at third base, Warren came around to score, cutting the Illini lead in half at 2-1.
After a scoreless third inning for both teams, the fireworks bean in the fourth inning for Illinois as it posted six runs in the inning to extend the lead to 8-1. Back-to-back RBI singles from Vaji and Zymkowitz gave Illinois its first three runs of the inning, but the big blast came off of the bat of Howell as she launched a three-run homerun over the right field fence that scored both Zymkovitz and Vaji. The homerun was only the second of the Columbia Regional and Howell's seventh of the season. The three RBI moved her season total to 41 as well.
The Illini held DePaul off the scoreboard over the last five innings of the game and Zymkowitz added a solo homerun in the seventh to make the Illini lead 9-1. Pepper Gay pitched the last three innings of the game of Illinois and gave up one hit in that span. She struck out the side to end the game.