URBANA – Illinois' softball team beat the weather, but that wasn't Saturday's most formidable foe at Eichelberger Field.

Despite a constant drizzle, Michigan's Wolverines pounded 14 hits – six for extra bases – and handed the Illini their first loss at home, 10-2, as well as their first Big Ten setback.

"Today it may have felt easy, but tomorrow it won't be," Michigan coach Carol Hutchins said. "They have good swingers and a good defense.

"They'll beat teams. I just hope we're not one of them."

UI shortstop Lindsey Hamma continues to be one of the league's top hitters. She was 2 for 2 against the Wolverines and is hitting .778 in Big Ten play. Saturday's game was her fourth straight multihit game.

"I'm trying to put it where they're not," Hamma said.

UI coach Terri Sullivan said changes weren't needed when Hamma's average dropped recently to .270. And now, she has raised it to .323.

"Hitters make a mistake and think they need to change their swing," Sullivan said. "She's just relaxing and not putting so much pressure on herself."

One encouraging sign Sullivan saw was the manner in which the Wolverines scored their runs.

"There were no errors on our part," she said. "They came out swinging the bats."

The UI infield, which has been intact for 42 of 43 games, is not the one Sullivan envisioned after an eight-game fall season.

Bridget Pluta sustained a season-ending torn anterior cruciate ligament, and utility player Alicia Hammel became the choice as her replacement at first base.

"She's a good student of the game, and she's a calm player," Sullivan said of Hammel. "Nothing seems to faze her."

Not even moving to a position she recalled playing only "for an inning," before this year.

"At first, I wasn't comfortable stretching for balls," the converted second baseman said, "but I've gotten comfortable."

After committing three errors in her first nine spring games, she's made two miscues in her next 32 games and has handled all 59 chances flawlessly in her last eight games.

"I've played third base in summer ball, and this isn't much different," Hammel said. "Just the opposite side of the field."

Michigan roughed up all three UI pitchers who took the mound. Each one allowed at least four hits and three runs.

"We hit early in the count and didn't allow their pitchers to get into their game," Hutchins said.

With 413 spectators watching, Illinois put runs on the board in the fourth and sixth innings.

Sarah Baumgartner drove in Janna Sartini with the first run. Erin Jones scored the second run.

Starter Amanda Fortune (13-6) took the loss. Entering the game, she had allowed four earned runs in her previous 531/3 innings.

Five of the nine Wolverines she faced got hits.