http://www.illinihq.com/news/softball Latest Illini sports stories for IlliniHQ.com en-us Copyright 2010, The News-Gazette, Inc. http://www.illinihq.com/news/rss Fri, 19 Mar 2010 08:11:48 PST <p>COLUMBIA, Mo. – San Diego State cooled off Illinois' softball team, defeating the 21st-ranked Illini 5-3 on Sunday at Missouri's Children's Hospital Invitational to snap the squad's 10-game winning streak.</p> <p>UI first baseman Meredith Hackett and third baseman Kelley Wedel each smacked home runs, but Illinois (16-2) could not overcome a five-run fifth inning by the Aztecs (15-8).</p> http://www.illinihq.com/news/softball/2010/03/14/softball_streaks_over/ Sun, 14 Mar 2010 14:00:00 CST <p>COLUMBIA, Mo. – The Illinois softball team won its 10th straight game Saturday, beating Bradley 5-1 behind pitcher Pepper Gay's seven strikeouts in the Children's Hospital Invitational.</p> <p>The 21st-ranked Illini improved to 16-1. Their game against No. 3 Missouri later Saturday was rained out. Jessica Davis' two-out double in the fifth inning drove in three runs and broke the game open.</p> http://www.illinihq.com/news/softball/2010/03/13/gays_pitching_keeps_illini_hot/ Sat, 13 Mar 2010 14:00:00 CST <p>FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Illinois sophomore Andrew Riley broke his own school record to advance to the finals of the 60-meter hurdles at the NCAA Indoor track meet Friday.</p> <p>Riley finished second in his heat with a time of 7.61 seconds. It was the third-fastest time among the qualifiers.</p> http://www.illinihq.com/news/softball/2010/03/12/riley_advances_to_ncaa_hurdles_final/ Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:00:00 CST <p>Illinois softball coach Terri Sullivan gave birth to a girl Wednesday morning at an Urbana hospital.</p> <p>Sullivan and husband Shawn Wax welcomed Macy Jean at 12:12 a.m.</p> http://www.illinihq.com/news/softball/2010/03/11/5_oclock_shadow/ Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:00:00 CST <p>ORANGE PARK, Fla. — Illinois' Hailey Koschmann carded a second-round 70 to take a 5-stroke lead into today's final round at the JMU Eagle Landing Invitational.</p> <p>Koschmann, who was at 5-under-par 139, helped lead the Illini to third place in the team standings at 602. Central Arkansas was first at 596, and South Florida was second at 599.</p> http://www.illinihq.com/news/softball/2010/03/08/koschmann_increases_lead/ Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:00:00 CST <p>STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – Senior Angela Bizzarri won her second Big Ten title of the weekend Sunday, breaking her own school record en route to the 5,000-meter crown.</p> <p>"Angela had a great weekend," Illini coach Tonja Buford-Bailey said. "She's got two more Big Ten titles under her belt, so she should be very happy to go out like that as a senior."</p> http://www.illinihq.com/news/softball/2010/02/28/bizzarri_riley_notch_another_big_ten_title/ Sun, 28 Feb 2010 14:00:00 CST <p>STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – Angela Bizzarri and Aja Evans set school records to help Illinois' women's team to second place after Day 1 of the Big Ten Indoor Championships.</p> http://www.illinihq.com/news/softball/2010/02/27/bizzarri_evans_have_ui_in_hunt/ Sat, 27 Feb 2010 14:00:00 CST <p>COLUMBUS, Ga. – The Illinois softball team continued the best start in its history Friday, defeating No. 22 Florida State 4-3 and Mississippi Valley State 12-2 at the NFCA Leadoff Classic.</p> <p>The Illini (11-1) beat the Seminoles in dramatic fashion, using freshman Jessica Davis' walkoff homer in the seventh. Trailing 4-0, Illinois narrowed the gap in the sixth on Hope Howell's three-run homer.</p> http://www.illinihq.com/news/softball/2010/02/26/illini_softball_stuns_seminoles/ Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:00:00 CST <p>At 9-1, Illinois is off to its best 10-game start since 2003, when it also opened 9-1. The Illini nearly cracked this week's USA Today/NFCA Top 25, earning the 26th-most votes. Illinois enters Friday's 12:30 p.m. matchup against the Seminoles 1-1 against ranked opponents this season.</p> http://www.illinihq.com/news/softball/2010/02/24/huths_insider_pregnant_coach_staying_home/ Wed, 24 Feb 2010 14:00:00 CST <p>PALO ALTO, Calif. — Designated player Danielle Vaji went 2 for 2 and scored two runs, leading Illinois to a 7-4 softball victory against Nevada on Sunday at the Stanford Nike Invitational.<br /> Outfielder Hollie Pinchback was 2 for 4, and outfielder Hope Howell went 3 for 4 as the Illini improved to 9-1, tying their best start in program history. Illinois also started 9-1 in 2003.</p> http://www.illinihq.com/news/softball/2010/02/21/softball_team_continues_hot_start/ Sun, 21 Feb 2010 14:00:00 CST <p>STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – Paul Ruggeri won the all-around, parallel bars and high bar to lead top-ranked Illinois past No. 5 Penn State in men's gymnastics Saturday.</p> <p>The Illini's 354.600-345.950 victory represented a season-high point total.</p> http://www.illinihq.com/news/softball/2010/02/20/ruggeri_leads_ui_victory/ Sat, 20 Feb 2010 14:00:00 CST <p>STANFORD, Calif. — Illinois’ softball team split two games Friday at the Stanford Nike Invitational, defeating Sacramento State 7-1 before falling to No. 11 Stanford 8-0 at Smith Family Stadium.<br /> The Illini (6-1) started the season 6-0, tying the best start in school history.</p> http://www.illinihq.com/news/softball/2010/02/19/softball_team_ties_best_start/ Fri, 19 Feb 2010 14:00:00 CST <p>Former Illini shortstop Toby Gardenhire has received an invitation to spring training by the Minnesota Twins as a non-roster player. Gardenhire, the son of Twins manager Ron Gardenhire, played his senior season at the UI in 2005 after transferring from Southwest Missouri State.</p> http://www.illinihq.com/news/softball/2010/02/17/illini_insider_big_night_for_wrestling/ Wed, 17 Feb 2010 14:00:00 CST