Big Inning Powers Illinois Past Nebraska

NEBRASKA  3 8 illinois
Box Score

Inning-by-Inning
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7		R	H	E
Nebraska	0	0	2	0	1	0	0		3	9	2
Illinois	0	2	0	1	0	5	X		8	14	3

Pitching
	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
W - Wonderly (7-3)	7.0	9	3	3	4	2
L - Lockman (6-3)	5.1	13	7	6	2	3
S - None	0.0	0	0	0	0	0

Individual Leaders
	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	HBP
Kiki Stokes	2	1	2	1	1	1
MJ Knighten	1	1	1	0	3	0

Game Notes

Nebraska used a different starting lineup and a different batting order for the 29th time in 29 games...Laura Barrow made her first career start at shortstop...Mattie Fowler singled in the third to extend her career-long hitting streak to eight games...MJ Knighten drew a pair of walks to extend her streak to 10 consecutive games with at least one walk, including five games with multiple walks...Knighten and Kiki Stokes both reached base in each of their four plate appearances, combining to go 3-for-3 with four walks and a hit-by-pitch.

Urbana, Ill. - Illinois got the clutch hits that Nebraska could not on Saturday, as the Fighting Illini used a five-run sixth inning to upset the 24th-ranked Husker softball team, 8-3, in the first game of a doubleheader at Eichelberger Field.

The game was tied 3-3 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, after Nebraska had stranded 10 base runners. Illinois had stranded eight runners through five innings before Nicole Evans hit a grand slam and Annie Fleming slugged an RBI triple in the five-run frame that powered Illinois to its 20th victory.

Both teams had plenty of scoring chances throughout the game but neither team could find the clutch hit it needed. There was a base runner in every half inning of the game, and both Nebraska and Illinois had multiple base runners in each of the first five innings. Nebraska was just 4-for-11 with runners in scoring position, while Illinois was 6-for-16, with the final two hits being the grand slam and RBI triple in the Illini's decisive five-run sixth inning.

Nebraska loaded the bases with one out in the top of the first but came up empty. Illinois then loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the second inning and took a 2-0 lead on a pair of RBI singles.

Nebraska responded with its own two-out rally in the top of the third. Senior Kiki Stokes began the inning with a single and junior MJ Knighten followed with a one-out single. With runners on first and second and two outs, senior Mattie Fowler lined an RBI single up the middle that scored Stokes with Nebraska's first run. Freshman Alyvia Simmons then singled to load the bases before senior Dawna Tyson grounded an RBI single through the left side that scored Knighten to tie the game at 2-2.

The Huskers loaded the bases again in the fourth but failed to score. In the bottom of the frame, the first two Illini were retired before a single, a walk, an error and a wild pitch gave Illinois a 3-2 lead.

Nebraska answered back with a similar rally in the top of the fifth. The first two Huskers were quickly retired before sophomore Madi Unzicker singled and classmate Taylor Otte was hit by a pitch. Stokes then singled to right field and sophomore pinch runner Gina Metzler was waved home, and she scored the tying run without a throw after the right fielder bobbled the ball.

The Huskers then wasted a one-out single in the top of the sixth inning before Illinois put up five runs in the bottom of the frame. In the top of the seventh, Simmons singled with one out but Nebraska could not get another base runner.

Simmons finished 2-for-4, while Stokes was 2-for-2 with a walk, a hit-by-pitch and an RBI. Knighten joined Stokes by reaching base in all four of her plate appearances, as Knighten was 1-for-1 with three walks.

Senior right-hander Emily Lockman (6-3) took the loss for Nebraska, allowing eight runs (six earned) on 13 hits in 5.1 innings. Sophomore Kaylan Jablonski tossed the final 0.2 innings, allowing one hit and one walk.

Breanna Wonderly scattered nine hits in a complete-game effort, limiting Nebraska to three runs. Wonderly (7-3) helped Illinois to improve to 20-10 on the season and 1-1 in conference play.

Nebraska (19-10 overall, 1-1 Big Ten) will aim for a series victory in game two of Saturday's doubleheader.

 

Box Score

 

2016 Nebraska Softball #24 Nebraska at Illinois (Game 1) Mar 26, 2016 at Urbana, Ill. (Eichelberger Field)

Nebraska 3 (19-10,1-1 Big Ten)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Stokes, Kiki cf.......... 2 1 2 1 1 0 1 0 0 Barrow, Laura ss......... 3 0 0 0 0 1 2 1 0 Knighten, MJ 3b.......... 1 1 1 0 3 0 1 3 0 McClure, Cassie dp....... 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Jablonski, Kaylan ph.... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Fowler, Mattie 1b........ 4 0 1 1 0 0 3 2 5 Simmons, Alyvia rf....... 4 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 Tyson, Dawna 2b.......... 4 0 1 1 0 0 6 0 0 Unzicker, Madi c......... 4 0 1 0 0 1 4 0 4 Metzler, Gina pr........ 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Otte, Taylor lf.......... 2 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 Lockman, Emily p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals................... 28 3 9 3 4 2 18 7 11

Illinois 8 (20-10,1-1 Big Ten)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Thomas, Carly cf......... 4 1 3 1 0 0 2 0 0 Gunther, Alyssa 1b....... 3 2 3 1 0 0 5 1 0 Bauch, Allie 2b.......... 3 0 0 0 1 2 6 1 3 Evans, Nicole rf......... 4 1 2 4 0 0 2 1 2 Rivera, Ruby ss.......... 4 1 0 0 0 1 1 3 0 Perez, Remeny dp......... 2 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 Nicklas, Jill pr........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Fleming, Annie 3b........ 4 1 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 Brodner, Emily c......... 3 0 1 0 1 0 3 2 3 Acosta, Sam pr.......... 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Johnson, Kylie lf........ 4 1 2 0 0 0 2 0 2 Wonderly, Breanna p...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 31 8 14 7 3 3 21 9 10

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Nebraska............ 002 010 0 - 3 9 2 Illinois............ 020 105 X - 8 14 3 -----------------------------------------

E - Barrow(8); Unzicker(3); A. Bauch(8); N. Evans(2); A. Fleming(7). DP - Huskers 1; Illini 2. LOB - Huskers 11; Illini 10. 2B - C. Thomas(11). 3B - N. Evans(2); A. Fleming(4). HR - N. Evans(6). HBP - Stokes; Otte; R. Perez. SH - Barrow(2); A. Gunther(5). CS - Otte(3).

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Lockman, Emily...... 5.1 13 8 6 2 3 28 32 121 Jablonski, Kaylan... 0.2 1 0 0 1 0 3 4 13

Illinois IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Wonderly, Breanna... 7.0 9 3 3 4 2 28 35 140

Win - B. Wonderly (7-3). Loss - Lockman (6-3). Save - None. WP - Lockman(7). HBP - by B. Wonderly (Stokes); by B. Wonderly (Otte); by Lockman (R. Perez). BK - B. Wonderly(1). PB - Unzicker(5). Pitches/strikes: Lockman 121/75; Jablonski 13/6; B. Wonderly 140/79. Umpires - HP: Erin Peterson 1B: Megan Rabin 3B: Leah Bowen Start: 1:01 pm Time: 2:22 Attendance: Game: livegame