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Illini Continue Winning Ways with 8-0 Victory Over Valparaiso
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Redshirt-senior Danielle Vaji connected for her first homer of the fall season against Valparaiso, sending a two-run shot over the center field fence.
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Sept. 25, 2011
URBANA, Ill. - The University of Illinois softball team won in convincing fashion over a collegiate foe for the third consecutive game, shutting out Valparaiso, 8-0, during a nine-inning contest on Eichelberger Field on Sunday afternoon. Redshirt-junior shortstop Jessica Davis and redshirt-senior second baseman Danielle Vaji each slugged one home run during the contest to lead the offense.
Illinois was held scoreless over the first two innings; however, Vaji got the Illini bats going with a two-run long ball to straightaway center field. With one out in the third, senior right fielder Nikki Simpson earned a walk before Vaji connected to put the Orange and Blue in front, 2-0. After senior third baseman Kelley Wedel doubled to center as the next batter, Davis stepped to the plate and delivered an RBI-triple to left field, scoring one batter later when senior first baseman Meredith Hackett hit a sacrifice fly out to left to put Illinois ahead, 4-0.
The Illini struck again in the fifth and sixth innings to reach the final score. In the fifth, Simpson singled to the pitcher and stole second and third base, eventually scoring as part of a double steal of second base and home plate. Wedel was struck with a pitch following Simpson's theft of home and Davis followed with a shot into the trees North of the outfield fencing in left field to put the Orange and Blue up, 7-0. In the sixth, freshman designated player Kayla Tyler tripled to right field to lead off the inning and raced home when freshman center fielder Brittany Sanchez grounded into a fielder's choice during the following at bat.
Juniors Jackie Guy and Pepper Gay and freshman Shelese Arnold combined to hold Valparaiso scoreless over the nine-inning contest, with the trio combining to limit the Crusaders to three hits, while Guy totaled all four strikeouts on the contest.
The Illini return to action on Sept. 30 at 3 p.m. CT when Illinois hosts Parkland on Eichelberger Field in a make-up contest. Illinois and Parkland were initially scheduled to meet on Sunday, Sept. 18; however, rains in the Champaign-Urbana area forced the postponement of the contest.
