EAST LANSING, Mich. — Illinois softball (10-28, 2-9 Big Ten) split its series-opening doubleheader with Michigan State on Friday evening, falling in game one, 7-0, before storming back to win game two, 12-6.
GAME ONE
Karley Yergler got the nod in the circle, retiring the side in order in the first frame, before Sydney Doloszycki sent a solo home run past the center field wall to give Michigan State a 1-0 lead in the second. The Spartans added three more runs in the frame, on an RBI double from Sophie Holverstott and two-RBI double from Zoie Bernard.
In the third, Holverstott sent a three-score home run down the right field line, extending Michigan State's lead. The final three and a half innings passed scoreless, and the Spartans took the 7-0 victory in game one.
GAME ONE NOTES
- Adisyn Caryl went 1-for-3 at the plate, extending her reached base streak to four games, and later to five games in game two of the day.
- Karley Yergler got the start in the circle, pitching 1.1 frames and falling to 2-13 on the season.
GAME TWO
Illinois bounced back with a vengeance, scoring seven runs in the opening frame of game two. Skylar Brennan was hit by pitch and Ady Kiddy advanced her to third with a double, with Brennan then coming across to score on a passed ball.
Adisyn Caryl reached on a fielder's choice, also scoring Kiddy, and after Donahue was hit by pitch, the second of the inning, Jackie Yeager sent an RBI double to left field, scoring Caryl.
Eden Echevarria and Ava Moore tallied consecutive base hits, and Alaina Miller fouled out to left field, scoring Echevarria. In her second time up, Brennan added a base hit of her own, scoring Moore for the seventh and final run of the half inning.
Michigan State got a pair back in its first trip up to bat, with a pair of base hits from Kendall Smiley and Zoie Bernard, an RBI groundout from Hannah Hawley, and a final RBI single from Kendall Doloszycki.
Britain Beshears notched a solo home run in the second, and the Spartans added one more run in the fourth, decreasing the lead to three runs.
Kiddy walked in the sixth and Caryl proceeded to score pinch runner Gabrielle Debevec with an RBI double. Haggard scored Caryl with an RBI single, increasing the advantage to five runs once again.
In the bottom of the sixth, Michigan State loaded the bases, on a single from Beshears and a pair of walks, but Abby Sabalaskey struck out Kendall Smiley for the final out of the frame.
The Orange and Blue added a trio of runs in the final frame, jumpstarted by a pair of hits from Moore and Keirys Click. Debevec was walked and Caryl reached on an error, allowing Moore and Miller, who re-entered to run, to score. Eileen Donahue notched a sacrifice fly, scoring Debevec for one last run.
Michigan State attempted to mount a comeback, as Doloszycki and Sophia Grillo logged base hits, and Beshears was walked to load the bases. A sacrifice fly from Holverstott brought one run across, and an RBI single from Payton Conroy tallied another, but the Fighting Illini recorded the final out before any more runs could score, earning the 12-6 victory.
GAME TWO NOTES
- Megan Nuechterlein got the start in the circle and picked up her first win, improving to 1-3 after hurling 4.1 innings to open the game.
- Abby Sabalaskey entered in relief for the final 2.2 frames, notching a pair of strikeouts and conceding just two runs.
- Skylar Brennan went 2-for-2 at the plate with one RBI, her 11th multi-hit game of the season.
- Ava Moore went 2-for-4 at the plate, her fifth multi-hit outing of the year.
- Ellie Haggard was 2-for-5 on the day, her eighth multi-hit contest of 2026.
- Ady Kiddy, Adisyn Caryl, and Jackie Yeager each tallied a double, the Fighting Illini's third game this season with three or more doubles, and first in Big Ten play.
- Illinois notched 12 total hits, its third outing with double-digit hits in conference play.
- Gabrielle Debevec reached on a walk, extending her reached base streak to five games. Caryl's double also extended her reached base streak to five games.
UP NEXT
Illinois and Michigan State return for the series finale on Sunday, April 5, at noon CT. The game can be streamed on B1G+.
