University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers End Season With 10-0 Loss to Illinois
5/15/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Two Illinois pitchers combined on a five-inning no-hitter as Minnesota closed its season with a 10-0 loss to the 18th-ranked Illini on Saturday in Champaign, Ill.
The Gophers' Abby Rehberger led off the game with a walk and was bunted to second by Dannie Skrove, but was left stranded at second and was Minnesota's only baserunner of the game. Illinois' Monica Perry pitched the first three innings with five strikeouts and Ashley Perry pitched two perfect innings with four strikeouts to end the game by the eight-run rule.
Minnesota ended its season at 16-37 overall and 2-17 in the Big Ten. Illinois will await an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament after pushing its record to 43-6 overall and 16-2 in league play.
Illinois immediately seized the lead in the bottom of the first inning when Hope Howell launched a one-out solo home run. The Illini proceeded to load the bases after a two-out error and got a run-scoring single from Jackie Guy for a 2-0 lead, but Gophers' starter Alissa Koch struck out Ashley Conrad to strand three runners.
The Illini added two more runs in the second inning as Howell ripped a two-run double for a 4-0 lead. Illinois again loaded the bases with one out, but Koch forced Audrey Gallien into a pop out and struck out Guy to leave three runners for the second straight inning as Illinois left eight runners for the game.
A six-run third inning put Illinois ahead 10-0 as the Illini pounded out seven singles in the frame. Danielle Zymkowicz and Howell each had run-scoring hits before Kelley Wedel and Guy each delivered two-run singles. Illinois made two of its outs in the inning on the bases.
Illinois totaled 15 hits for the game and took advantage of three Minnesota errors. Howell finished the day three-for-three with four runs batted in, while Guy was two-for-three and drove in three runs. Koch walked five and struck out two for the Gophers.
It marked the final game for five Minnesota seniors as Rehberger, Heidi Carls, Tina Watts, Chonquita Jones and Kim Hanlon all concluded their careers.
