LEXINGTON, Ky. — Tyra Perry admitted after Friday's NCAA tournament opener that a few in-game jitters may have bothered freshman pitcher Sydney Sickels in the sixth inning of the Illinois softball team's 6-2 loss to Virginia Tech.
After the Illini had tied the game in the prior half inning, Illinois' fourth-year head coach watched as the Hokies quickly threatened and decided it was time to make a change from Taylor Edwards to Sickels in the circle.
A week after losing in heartbreaking fashion in a Big Ten tournament game against Michigan after Edwards surrendered a walk-off solo homer in the eighth inning to the Wolverines, the Arcola native looked on helplessly this time from the dugout as pinch-hitter Sierra Walton — the first batter to face Sickels — smacked a three-run homer to put No.