Illinois (14-17, 1-5) had a rough stretch of games over the past few weeks, with seven consecutive defeats under its belt. But on Tuesday, the team broke the losing streak with a late offensive revival to defeat Western Illinois (8-24, 4-8), 7-6.
Though victorious, this win did not come smoothly. The Illini lost a 4-0 lead and even trailed 6-5 going into the bottom of the seventh inning. Here are some peaks and valleys of the Illini’s much-needed midweek win over the Leathernecks.
Peak: Batting control early
For the second game in a row, sophomore first baseman Eileen Donahue slammed a multi-run dinger to get the Illini on the board. With that, they ended the first inning with a 2-0 lead.
Then, senior left fielder Stevie Meade hit an RBI single to increase the lead in the bottom of the second. The inning after, freshman catcher Jackie Yeager also snagged an RBI single to put Illinois on top 4-0 over Western Illinois.
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After the first three innings, Illinois had six hits, which was twice as many as Western Illinois. Meade finished the game going 3-5 at the plate, and Donahue left with a solid 2-3 offensive outing. The early runs set the tone for the game and took some pressure off junior right-handed pitcher Karley Yergler.
Valley: Errors impacting scores
The Illini have done a solid job limiting errors on the diamond this season. On Tuesday, however, they had some complications.
Illinois finished with three total errors in the game, in contrast to Western Illinois’ zero. The exciting 4-0 lead diminished in the top of the fifth inning, as the opponents made a comeback, with one run coming from a fielding error.
Then, in the top of the seventh inning, the Leathernecks took their first lead of the game, 6-5, after a throwing error. While the Illini managed to save themselves, the errors could have resulted in an upsetting loss, especially after starting the game so strongly.
Peak: Caryl comes in clutch
Despite late-game woes, Illinois never faltered and knew what needed to be done to secure the victory. Freshman catcher and utility player Keirys Click got things going with a double to set the stage for her teammates. Then, freshman infielder Ellie Haggard continued her offensive prowess with a single right after.
To tie the game, Meade stepped up with an RBI single once again. With two outs and a 6-6 scoreboard, sophomore third baseman Adisyn Caryl stepped up to the plate and did what she does best. Caryl swung hard for an RBI double down right field to clinch the win for the Illini.
Valley: Leaving runners on base
Following the loss to Washington (26-9, 4-2), head coach Tyra Perry discussed the need to finish what they start and consistently bring runners home.
“We’re getting runners, which is a positive, but we’re leaving runners,” Perry said. “We just need that one more hit to score a run.”
Fortunately for the Illini, they got that extra hit Tuesday, but it was nerve-wracking. Illinois left at least one runner on base after each inning, leaving room for more scoring opportunities. Especially in close games like this one, it’s essential to get those runners to home plate via a collective effort.
@tess_eken
