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March 12, 2010

Box Score

COLUMBIA, Mo. - The #21 Illinois softball team moved to 15-1 on the season on Friday, with an impressive 7-0 victory over New Mexico (8-11) at the Children's Hospital Invitational hosted by Missouri. The Illini were scheduled to face San Diego State this evening, but the game was cancelled due to the weather after a two-and-a-half hour rain delay.

Sophomore hurler Monica Perry moved to 8-1 on the year and struck out a season-high eight batters, marking Illinois' seventh shutout of the season and the third of the year for Perry. Offensively, senior outfielder Hope Howell was 3-for-4 at the plate while junior second baseman Danielle Zymkowitz was 2-for-3 with three runs scored.

"It was a great performance from Monica and (catcher) Audrey Gallien," Associate Head Coach Donna DiBiase said. "To get a shutout and keep an aggressive swinging team in check took a solid outing by the two of them. We played consistent defense, and offensively we executed. We worked a lot on execution in practice the last couple days, so it was nice to see it pay off in a game. Our team captains (Zymkowitz and Howell) got it done for us, and Jessica Davis had a big time home run to help put it away."

The Illini got after New Mexico starter Kaela Debroeck early, as Zymkowitz led off the game with a walk and stolen base and Howell followed with an RBI single to put the Orange and Blue up 1-0. Illinois did no more damage in the first, but went up 2-0 in the second after shortstop Jessica Davis sent the ball over the centerfield fence for her fourth home run of the year.

In the fifth, centerfielder Ashley Conrad led off with a single up the middle off of Lobos reliever Samantha Gatson, then came around to score on a one-out single to right field by Zymkowitz to give Illinois a 3-0 lead. Zymkowitz advanced to third on a single by Howell, then made the score 4-0 after scoring on a sacrifice fly by rightfielder Hollie Pinchback.

Illinois added three insurance runs in the seventh off of Kari Gutierrez, New Mexico's third pitcher of the game. Zymkowitz started the inning with her second single of the day, and Pinchback reached on a dropped fly ball by the Lobos' leftfielder. First baseman Meredith Hackett then reached on another Lobos error, scoring Zymkowitz. Third baseman Kelley Wedel made New Mexico pay in the Illini's next at-bat by drilling a double to right center to drive in two more runs and push the Illinois lead up to 7-0.

Perry had one of her strongest performances of the season, opening the game by striking out the side swinging and cruising from there. The sophomore scattered five New Mexico hits, but was able to get out of any jam to earn the complete game shutout. The Lobos had batters on first and second with two outs in the second, but went down in the inning on a runner interference. New Mexico also threatened to get on the board in the bottom of the seventh when Erin Brandow hit a two-out triple to left field. Perry struck out the final batter, however, preserving the shutout.

Up Next: Illinois is scheduled for a pair of games on Saturday at the Children's Hospital Invitational. The Illini will face Bradley at 10 a.m. before playing No. 3 Missouri at 2 p.m.