2001 Big Ten Softball Tournament -- Game 9
5/12/2001 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Alumni Field, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Saturday, May 12 -- Noon -- Game 9
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Alumni Field)
Event: 2001 Big Ten Softball Tournament (Game 9)
Result: #15 Iowa 11, Illinois 2
Records: Iowa (44-12), Illinois (49-23)
Next Iowa Game: Saturday, May 12 -- vs. Michigan, 2:30 p.m.
Next Illinois Game: Illinois eliminated from tournament with 2-2 record
Iowa Downs Illinois for Repeat Appearance in Title Game
Boxscore
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Iowa softball team will face host Michigan in the Big Ten Softball Tournament championship game for the second consecutive season after defeating No. 4 seed Illinois 11-2 today (Saturday, May 11). Iowa scored eight runs in the seventh inning, including a home run by Christina Schmaltz, to cap the win. Iowa pitcher Kristi Hanks won her 33rd game of the season as she went seven complete innings and allowed two runs on seven hits.
Iowa was the first on the board as Kristin Johnson started off the first inning with a single to rightfield and then stole second before scoring on a double by Alicia Gerlach. Katy Jendrzejewski kept it going for the Hawkeyes as she singled to rightfield, scoring Gerlach. Illinois then substituted pitcher Kathryn Nevard for Amanda Fortune to retire the side. It appeared the Iowa would carry their momentum into the second inning as Schmaltz, who went 2-3 in the game, and Katie Boney had back-to-back singles, but Amber Morrow lined into a double play to end the inning.
Illinois played solid defense down the stretch, shutting out Iowa for five straight innings, but could not hold on in the seventh as the Hawkeyes scored eight runs on eight hits and one error by the Illini. Schmaltz led off with a double to centerfield and advanced to third on Boney's sacrifice bunt. Schmaltz then scored after Morrow singled and advanced on a fielding error by Illinois. Johnson then tripled to score Morrow before scoring herself on Erin Doud's groundout RBI to second. Iowa then had five consecuitve hits from Gerlach, Jendrzejewski, Lisa Rasche and Jessica Bashor before Schmaltz capped the streak with a three-run shot over the rightfield fence, building the lead to 11-0.
Iowa's offense was too potent for Illinois, which managed just two runs in the seventh off of singles from Lindsey Hammel and Sarah Baumgartner and a double from Kristie Sauter. Hanks got Erin Montogmery and Erin Jones to pop and ground out to secure Iowa's place in the championship game against Michigan at 2:30 p.m.
Iowa will look to even its record in the championship game after losing 2-0 to Michigan in 2000 on Stefanie Volpe's two-run homer. Iowa is 2-1 against Michigan this season and 35-46 all-time against the Wolverines.
Q U O T E S
Illinois Head Coach Terri Sullivan
On the season ... "The tournament was another good step for us as a team and a program. The team represented the University of Illinois in outstanding fashion. For us to come back the way we did yesterday showed great perseverance. To make it to the last day with great teams like Iowa and Michigan puts us in good company."
On the game ... "The stolen base in the first set the tone. We threw out the runner in the same situation at our place. Iowa exploded in the seventh to show how well they can hit the ball."
