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Heteniak Pushes Blue Demons Past Illinois
URBANA, Ill. -- Becca Heteniak threw a complete game and hit a three-run home run to propel the No. 23/21 DePaul past Illinois, 6-2 on Thursday at Eichelberger Field. DePaul (14-7) got on the board in the first inning when Heteniak blasted a three-run home run over the left field fence; over Kriby Avenue and into the cemetery about 100 feet across the street from Eichelberger Field. Heteniak’s long ball scored Lynsey Ciezki, who was hit by a pitch and Jackie Tarulli-Fisher, who singled earlier in the frame. One batter and out later, Marla Mathews smashed a homer to straight away center to give DePaul a 4-0 lead heading into the bottom half of the frame. After retiring the Illini’s first six batters, Heteniak walked Illinois’ first batter in the bottom of the third before Ashley Conrad reached on a bunt single. Heteniak got the next batter to pop out to Tarulli-Fisher behind the plate before Danielle Zymkowitz reached on an error. With the bases loaded, Hope Howell lined a single to center to plate the Illini’s first run of the ballgame. The Blue Demons took advantage of a walk and an error to put runners in scoring position for pinch hitter Simone Ashkar in the top of the fourth. Ashkar drilled a ball to the wall in right field which allowed pinch runner Sarah Shizas to score from third. Patton improved her hitting streak to five games with a single to center that plated Tara Voss and gave the Blue Demons a 6-1 advantage. Illinois (17-8) got one run back in the bottom of the sixth on Hollie Pinchback’s home run to right center. Heteniak (7-4) scattered five hits, while she struck out five in her 10th complete game of the season. Monica Perry (12-6) suffered the loss and threw six innings before being replaced by Christina Christopoulos in the seventh. Perry struck out two, walked four while the Blue Demons tagged her for six hits. Christopoulos gave up two hits and walked one. The Blue Demons travel East this weekend for BIG EAST Conference doubleheaders at Connecticut and Providence. DePaul and the Huskies tangle at 11 a.m. on Saturday. Live stats and steaming video are available for Saturday’s doubleheader.
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