Liberty University
14-8
Illinois
10-5
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 13 | 0 |
| Liberty | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 2 |
Illinois Edges Liberty 5-4 in Extra Innings
3/12/2022 12:53:51 PM | Softball
Liberty erased a 4-0 deficit with a four-run sixth inning, but Illinois scored an eighth-inning run and held on for a 5-4 win over the Lady Flames, Saturday at Clemson’s McWhorter Stadium.
Illinois (10-5) earned its second win in a row, opening up the Tiger Invitational with a victory. Meanwhile, Liberty (14-8) has gone 0-2 so far this week following an eight-game winning streak.
Scoring Summary
Illinois – 1st INNING – Powell doubles to left, Steiner scores, 1-0
Illinois – 1st INNING – Vickey doubles to left, Powell scores, 2-0
Illinois – 4th INNING – Powell singles up the middle, Meade advances to third, Ward and Steiner score, 4-0
Liberty – 6th INNING – Howard homers to left center, Howard and Plummer score, 4-2
Liberty – 6th INNING – Allan homers to left center, 4-3
Liberty – 6th INNING – Roupe doubles to left, Canetto scores, 4-4
Illinois – 8th INNING – Meade singles up the middle, Ward scores, 5-4 (International tiebreaker)
Notable Numbers
- Illinois outhit the Lady Flames 13-5, while Liberty committed two errors. The Fighting Illini left 13 runners on base, compared to six stranded for the Lady Flames.
- Tori McQueen (2-1) earned the win, tossing 2 1/3 innings of no-hit relief during which she walked two and struck out four. Starter Sydney Sickels yielded four runs on five hits, walking two and striking out six in 5 2/3 innings.
- Karlie Keeney (8-4) drew the loss, allowing five runs (four earned) on 13 hits, striking out five and walking two in the complete-game effort.
- Illinois’ Avrey Steiner and Megan Ward had three hits apiece and both scored two runs. Kailee Powell went 2-for-5 with a double and three RBI.
- Kara Canetto recorded two hits, including a double, while Devyn Howard (two-run) and Lou Allan (solo) provided home runs and Rachel Roupe recorded an RBI double.
Turning Point
- Illinois led 4-0 and loaded the bases with two outs in the sixth. Keeney got Kelly Ryono to pop out for the third out, ending the threat. The Lady Flames managed just one hit against Sickels in the first five innings, but Howard hit a two-run homer and Allan hit a solo shot in the sixth. Canetto and Roupe came through with back-to-back doubles to tie the score before McQueen came in for the third out.
- With the International tiebreaker in effect, Meade hit a one-out RBI single to plate the inherited runner for a 5-4 lead. In the home half, Allan and Griffin both walked with one out, loading the bases. Canetto grounded to short, who through home for the force out. Roupe then flied out to center to end the game.
Beyond the Box Score
- Illinois leads the all-time series against Liberty, 3-0. The last meeting between these two teams ended in an 8-2 Illinois win, Feb. 7, 2020 at the NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic.
- Liberty is now 4-3 this season against Big Ten opponents, and 8-5 under Coach Richardson.
- Allan, a 2021 first team All-Big Ten player while at Michigan, has hit 18 out of her 22 career homers off of Big Ten pitching, and 21 out of 22 against Power Five pitchers.
- Allan and Howard both homered for the second game in a row, as both players hit a home run against Arkansas on Thursday.
- Liberty is 0-6 this season when its opponent scores in the first inning and 1-8 when its opponent scores first.
- Howard has reached base safely in each of the last 12 games, while Allan has reached base safely in 10 consecutive games.
Up Next
The Lady Flames play twice tomorrow at the Tiger Invitational, taking on Illinois at 10 a.m. before facing the host, 15th-ranked Clemson Tigers at 3 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: T McQueen (2-1)
L: Keeney, Karlie (8-4)
Batting:
2B: K Powell 1 ; J Vickery 1
RBI: S Meade 1 ; K Powell 3 ; J Vickery 1
SH: S Meade 1
Base Running:
RUNS: A Steiner 2 ; K Powell 1 ; M Ward 2
SB: K Powell 1
CS: M Ward 1
HBP: J Vickery 1
Batting:
2B: Canetto, Kara 1 ; Roupe, Rachel 1
HR: Howard, Devyn 1 ; Allan, Lou 1
RBI: Howard, Devyn 2 ; Allan, Lou 1 ; Roupe, Rachel 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Howard, Devyn 1 ; Allan, Lou 1 ; Canetto, Kara 1 ; Plummer, Janessa 1
SB: Canetto, Kara 1
