The end of the regular season brings with it different feelings for different teams. That feeling is either the high of moving on to the tournament or the low of not making it. In the case of Illinois (22-28, 6-15), it’s the latter. The Illini are left with lots to reflect on after a season of ups and downs.
Their most recent series against No. 21 Ohio State (43-11-1, 16-6) was a roller coaster on its own.
Illini pull off upset
With weather forcing a change to the schedule, the Illini suited up for a doubleheader against the Buckeyes on Friday. Illinois showed some prowess early, loading the bases in the second inning for senior outfielder Stevie Meade. She laced a single into left field to score the game’s first run. Illinois pushed another run across that frame to take an early 2-0 lead.
After Ohio State cut the lead in half the next inning, Buckeye senior infielder Kami Kortokrax blasted a three-run home run off the scoreboard to flip the game on its head. However, the Illini soon stormed back.
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Illinois again loaded up the bases in the fourth. With two outs, senior catcher Paige Berkmeyer stepped up and lined a grand slam over the center field wall. The Illini led 6-4 after the momentum booster.
“ I just was trying to put a good swing on it so we could keep the inning going,” Berkmeyer said. “I don’t know if the wind carried it or I just hit it that hard, but it was just awesome going around the bases and seeing how the team was reacting to it.”
The teams traded runs in the fifth inning, and it looked like the Buckeyes would plate another in the sixth. However, redshirt sophomore utility player Yazzy Avila had other plans. She fielded a ground ball in center and quickly threw home to gun down senior infielder Reagan Milliken.
In the bottom of the frame, sophomore utility player Delaney Mosley added much-needed insurance with a two-run homer to left. Sophomore right-handed pitcher Megan Nuechterlein pitched a complete game as Illinois pulled off the upset, 9-5.
Buckeyes quiet Illini bats
Junior right-handed pitcher Karley Yergler started the nightcap and got into some trouble early. She allowed a pair of runners in each of the first two innings. Yergler evaded the threat in the first, but Ohio State sophomore outfielder Hadley Parisien ensured she wouldn’t escape a second time.
Parisien singled off the third base bag to bring home what proved to be the game-winning run.
Buckeye sophomore utility player Hailey Lang drilled a solo home run to right field in the fourth, doubling their lead. The Illini threatened after loading the bases in the fifth, once again with Meade coming up. This time, Meade popped out to end the inning, scoring no runs.
The story of this game was Illinois’ inability to manufacture runs. In a pitcher’s duel, like this game, advancing runners with groundouts and drawing walks are good strategies. Apart from that fifth inning, Illinois struggled to do that.
“ We just didn’t make adjustments sooner,” Berkmeyer said. “A lot of balls in the air instead of on the ground.”
Ohio State freshman right-handed pitcher Lorin Boutte shut down the Illinois offense and carried her team to the 2-0 win.
Force not with Illinois
Yergler again got the start on the mound for the Illini in Saturday’s “Star Wars” themed rubber match.
In the first inning, the Buckeyes got a baserunner with two outs. Senior infielder Kaitlyn Farley then deposited a home run over the left center field wall to put the team up early. Ohio State had matched the previous game’s offensive output with one swing. The score remained 2-0 Buckeyes for a while, as the Illini were repeatedly sat down by junior right-handed pitcher Kennedy Kay.
Illinois appeared to be turning things around in the fifth. With two outs, the Illini got some baserunners, and Avila lined a run-scoring single. Avila made the turn for second but was thrown out. The inning ended with Illinois still trailing 2-1.
Ohio State sophomore catcher Emma Tolley made them pay in the next frame. She hit a two-run home run down the right field line, increasing the lead to 4-1. That was the final nail in the coffin for Illinois.
Senior right-handed pitcher Lauren Wiles, who battled an injury this season, entered in the seventh inning to get the final two outs. Although the score wasn’t in their favor, the Illini were cheering loudly for Wiles and celebrated with her after she recorded those outs. Despite the result, the occasion felt like the appropriate way for the season to end.
