Illinois (5-9) finished 2-2 at the Raleigh Times tournament in North Carolina this weekend, powered by freshman left-handed pitcher Abby Sabalaskey’s breakout and a historic offensive performance against Providence (2-7). In the team’s 11-2 win over the Friars, two Illini recorded multi-home run games for the first time in program history.
Sabalaskey leads team’s success
The Illini opened the tournament on Friday evening, ready to compete. Sabalaskey set the tone from the start. She spun her first collegiate complete game and led Illinois to a 4-1 win over Akron (5-10).
Sabalaskey held the Zips scoreless through six innings and shut down their only threat in the seventh. After Akron plated a run in the final frame, Sabalaskey responded immediately, striking out the final two batters.
“We can’t say enough about what she (Sablaskey) is bringing to the table,” head coach Tyra Perry said. “We are hoping to see that fire that she has just kind of resonates through the entire team and through the entire pitching staff.”
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Sablaskey’s momentum continued into Saturday’s run-rule win over Providence, when she spun her second full game of the weekend. She skyrocketed to the top of the Illini pitching stats after her big weekend. The southpaw now sits at 4-2 in the circle with a team-leading 26 strikeouts this year. The freshman’s competitiveness is not going unnoticed.
“Abby is really, really fiery,” Perry said. “She wants the ball, she wants to be in the circle.”
The two wins from this weekend showcased Illinois’ potential for this season. The team was disciplined in the circle and fierce at the plate.
“I was really proud of how we showed up for both Akron and Providence,” Perry said.
Record-breaking moon shots off Providence
Sophomore infielder Keirys Click sparked the team’s strong offensive performance in its run-rule win over Providence. Click and sophomore catcher Ellie Haggard each launched first-inning homers, opening the door for the team to jump on the Friars’ pitching staff.
“Once Click came in and set the tone with a big hit, it relaxed the whole team, and the rest of them were able to follow,” Perry said.
The show didn’t stop there. In her next at-bat, Click launched another home run, this time on the first pitch she saw. She drove in both senior outfielder Alaina Miller and junior outfielder Skylar Brennan. Haggard answered with her own second home run an inning later.
Click’s and Haggard’s performances were one for the books. It was the first time in program history that two players recorded multiple home runs in a game, and the first career multi-home run game for both sophomores.
“It was really exciting,” Perry said. “That’s kind of where we’ve been looking for someone that can set the table, light the match, set a spark.”
The offensive contributions extended up and down the order. Brennan ran her hitting streak to four games, while junior infielder Adisyn Caryl logged her fourth straight multi-hit outing.
Key takeaways from losses
Despite Illinois’ win against Akron in their first matchup on Friday evening, their second face-off on Saturday morning didn’t go as planned, as they fell to the Zips 9-2. Unfortunately for Illinois, it was on the receiving end of a power outburst. Akron put up four home runs and 10 hits throughout the game, but only out-hit Illinois by one.
The Illini had a promising opportunity to get ahead in the bottom of the fourth with bases loaded on multiple mistakes by the Zips’ defense. Sophomore catcher Jackie Yeager and Brennan both reached base via walk, while Miller reached on an Akron error. The Illini drove in one when Click drew a hit-by-pitch, but they couldn’t push any more across.
Illinois’ 4-0 loss to NC State (8-7) was a much closer game. For the first four innings, it was a defensive standoff, with neither team scoring until the Wolfpack put up four runs in the bottom of the fifth.
Sabalaskey made her third start of the weekend and only allowed three hits and one earned run across six innings. The Illini couldn’t produce a timely offense.
“We were scattering hits, but we didn’t get any big hits,” Perry said. “That’s the difference in the win against Providence and the loss against NC State.”
Positive outlook on this weekend
Perry said she hopes that the team can get into a rhythm ahead of this weekend. The Illini travel to Bowling Green, Kentucky, for the Hilltopper Spring Fling on Friday. Illinois will see Ball State (4-4), Western Kentucky (10-3) and IU Indy (3-8).
“I think the more consistent play that we see from all of those different phases of the game, the better off we will be and the more games we will win,” Perry said.
