Illinois Box Score (PDF)

STARKVILLE, Miss. – The UMass Lowell softball team (2-9) battled the weather all day against two tough opponents at the Mississippi State Tournament on Saturday.
 
The River Hawks were first handed an 11-0 loss by Big Ten opponent Illinois (9-6) in a six-inning game that included a two-hour delay due to rain and lightning. The team then trailed host No. 23 Mississippi State, 5-0, in the top of the third before that contest was suspended for the night due to the storm.
 
Game one was a scoreless stalemate in the early innings, as pitcher Kaysee Talcik (Shelton, Conn.) struck out the Fighting Illini side in the first before the River Hawk defense stranded a pair of opposing runners in scoring position in the second. However, Illinois was able to break open the scoring in the bottom of the third, pulling away with five runs on five hits and two miscues.
 
Redshirt-sophomore Casey Harding (Cheshire, Conn.) drew a lead-off walk in the top of the first to become the River Hawks' first base runner of the contest. Freshman Olivia Labbe (Rochester, Mass.) followed with a free pass of her own, and classmate Sara Siteman (Hudson, N.H.) drove a two-out ball high and deep, but the Illinois center fielder would reel it in to keep the visitors off the board.
 
The Fighting Illini extended their margin to 6-0 in the home half of the fourth, using a rundown between second and third to plate the lead runner. The score did not change before the game went into a lightning and rain delay for two hours. Coming back from the break, Illinois loaded the bases and used a grand slam by Kate Giddens to secure the 11-0 decision.
 
In the nightcap against MSU, the Bulldogs jumped in front in the bottom of the first with a two-out RBI single by Carmen Carter. Siteman and senior Madison Alcorn (Lowell, Mass.) each drew a walk in the top of the second, but were stranded there.
 
The home team pulled away, 5-0, in the bottom of the second with the help of a two-RBI liner to second. Sophomore Marianne Sparacia (Spring Hill, Fla.) logged the River Hawks' first hit of the day with a liner to right center in the top of the third, although the game was then suspended due to the return of the rain and lightning.
 
The River Hawks will return to action tomorrow, Sunday, March 11 when they square off against Illinois at 11 a.m. before completing tonight's suspended game and playing another full game against Mississippi State.