University of Illinois
Purdue
Illini Host Purdue for Final Home Big Ten Series
April 23, 2015 | Softball
Several promotions to take place at the ballpark on Sunday
| Illinois (22-23, 11-6 Big Ten) vs. Purdue (28-19, 6-9 Big Ten) - April 24-26, 2015 - Eichelberger Field | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | |
| Date | Friday, April 24 | Sunday, April 26 | Sunday, April 26 |
| Time | 5:30 p.m. | Noon | 2 p.m. |
| Video | Illini All-Access | BTN Plus | BTN Plus |
| Live Stats | GameTracker | GameTracker | GameTracker |
| Printable Notes | Illinois | Purdue | ||
| Series History | Illinois leads. 17-12 | Last: Illinois won, 3-2, on 4/20/14 | Streak: ILL 1| Results | ||
| Site Info | Admission and parking are FREE for all games at Eichelberger Field. | More Info | ||
| Social Media | @IlliniSoftball  | #Illini | Facebook  | YouTube  | ||
Urbana, Ill. - Sitting at fourth place in the Big Ten standings, the Fighting Illini return home this weekend to host Purdue in the final conference series of the season to be held at Eichelberger Field. The Illini come home hot, having goin 14-3 over the past 17 games, picking up a big road victory over #34 Northwestern in the nightcap of a Big Ten doubleheader on Wednesday.
SEVERAL PROMOTIONS SET FOR SUNDAY'S GAME
The final home Big Ten game of the year features several exciting extras, as the day will begin with the annual Senior Day ceremony. Illini leaders Shelese Arnold, Jess Perkins, Paige Roytek and Brittany Sanchez will be honored along with their families prior to the game for their outstanding contributions to the Fighting Illini program.
Kids Take Over the Ballpark returns on Sunday, as children in elementary and middle school can sign up for the opportunity to have a behind-the-scenes experience, helping out with all kinds of jobs at the ballpark, such as running the scoreboard, helping with promotions, being a P.A. announcer and more.
Make sure to get to the field early on Sunday, as the On-Deck Circle will be giving out concession coupons for a free hotdog and soda to the first 200 fans at Eichelberger Field as a thank you to everyone who came out to support the Fighting Illini this season.
ILLINOIS MARATHON TRAFFIC ADVISORY
Due to the Illinois Marathon, traffic to and from Eichelberger Field on Friday and Saturday may be impacted. Kirby Avenue will be closed between First and Fourth Street leading up to the 5K on Friday night, which may affect fans on their way in. The 5K begins at 7:30 p.m., so fans will need to leave the ballpark and head West towards Lincoln Avenue after the game. Friday's 5K Map.
The full marathon will begin on Saturday morning and spans much of Champaign and Urbana. The race begins several hours before the game, and it is expected that the Urbana portion of the course should be cleared in its entirety before gates open at Eichelberger Field, so fans are advised to approach the ballpark from either the East (Lincoln Ave.) or South (Windsor Rd.). Marathon maps.
PICKING APART PURDUE
After going 1-4 on opening weekend, the Boilermakers raced through tournament season, posting a 19-5 record over the next five weeks. The Boilermakers have not faced an especially difficult schedule, playing just two games against top-25 teams according to this week's RPI, but Purdue does have two top-50 wins, taking down #26 Texas A&M and #47 Nebraska, 1-0. Purdue has been solid against weaker opponents, going 20-3 against teams ranked outside of the top 100.
First baseman Ashley Burkhardt (.403) leads the Boilermaker bats and a group of seven starters with averages of .250 or better. Burkhardt has driven in a team-best 43 RBIs, scored 37 runs, swiped 26 bases and launched nine home runs. Designated player Katie Harrison (.333), third baseman/outfielder Alyssa Koorsen (.321) and outfielder Kristen Hoppman (.315) are all batting over .300. Catcher Kaylah Hampton has driven in 31 RBIs, scored 17 runs and launched eight home runs. Koorsen has scored 30 runs, swiped 14 bases and tallied seven doubles, while Maya Hughes has stolen 21 bases and scored 21 runs and Paris Andrew has scored 22 runs, driven in 23 RBIs, stolen eight bases and accounted for two triples and a home run. As a team, the Boilers are batting .287 with 23 home runs and 79 stolen bases.
In the circle, the Boilermaker pitchers are holding foes to a .204 average. Junior Lilly Fecho (17-13) has posted a 1.83 ERA with 254 strikeouts, five shutouts and a save in 199 innings of work, while allowing opponents just a .189 average. Freshman Gina Snyder (7-2) has struck out 67 batters in 56 innings, while boasting a 2.96 ERA and holding foes to a .181 average. Senior Lexy Moore (4-3) has issued 23 strikeouts in 47 innings, while senior Alex Whittemore (0-1) has added seven Ks in 10 innings.
BATTLING THE BOILERMAKERS
Illinois owns the all-time series with Purdue, 17-12, including going 7-4 all time at Eichelberger Field. Purdue took two out of three from the Illini in West Lafayette last season, but the Illini won the series finale, 3-2. The Illini won the most recent home series, winning 2-of-3 in April, 2012, with all three games being decided by two runs.
HITTING THAT HOT STREAK
After a slow start to the season, the Illini hit their stride in late March by sweeping Indiana after putting up a total of 40 runs over the three-game weekend series on March 28-29. The series sweep launched an about-face to the program, as the Illini went on to win 13 of 15 games, including four straight Big Ten series victories.
The recent surge has the Illini at their best start to Big Ten play since 2010, sitting in fourth with an 11-6 record. Sophomore hurler Jade Vecvanags recorded every decision during the 13-2 streak and leads the Big Ten as the sole pitcher with 10 victories in conference play. Meanwhile, the Illini offense has put up 157 runs over the past 17 games (an average of 9.2 runs per game), and leads the Big Ten in batting average, slugging percentage, hits, triples, total bases and sacrifice flies during conference play.
THOMAS TAKES HOME TWO B1G HONORS
Carly Thomas was named Big Ten Co-Player and Co-Freshman of the Week on April 20 after leading the Illini to three wins and their fourth straight Big Ten series victory. The rookie became the first Illini to earn two Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors since the award began in 2011 and the first ever to collect three weekly honors, as she previously took home Freshman of the Week on March 30.
Thomas led the conference by driving in 10 runs over four games, slugging 1.077 with three doubles and a home run. She collected two hits and at least one RBI in every game, including going 2-for-3 with a home run and five RBIs in the Wisconsin series finale. Additionally, she hit two doubles with three RBIs and a sacrifice fly in the series opener.
B1G SUCCESS
The Illini are enjoying the most productive Big Ten season offensively in program history, setting team records for batting average, slugging percentage, on base percentage, runs scored, hits, doubles, home runs, total bases, RBIs and sacrifice flies with six games still to go on the schedule.
Individually, Carly Thomas, Alyssa Gunther, Allie Bauch, Nicole Evans and Jess Perkins are tearing through the record books. Thomas broke the doubles, RBI and total bases records and currently has the best slugging percentage and second-highest batting average in Illini history. Perkins surpassed Thomas for the RBI record, while Gunther has tied the triples mark and Ruby Rivera matched the most sacrifice flies. Thomas, Gunther, Perkins and Bauch all rank in the top 10 in batting average and on base percentage, while Thomas, Evans, Perkins and Fleming have four of the top six slugging percentage marks. Additionally, Jade Vecvanags is one win shy of the all-time record at 10-5 and ranks second in strikeouts per game.
LOVING THE LONG BALL
With seven regular-season games still to go, the Illini have already hit 59 home runs on the season, ranking third in the Big Ten and 21st in the nation, as well as fourth among single-season totals in Illinois history.
The Illini posted a 13-game home run streak from March 28-April 17, slugging 30 long balls during that stretch. It was the second-longest streak in Illinois history, trailing only the 2007 Illini, who hit 34 homers during a 14-game streak from March 3-25 en route to the nation's most home runs (84).
Sophomore Nicole Evans is leading the charge, as she is second in the Big Ten with 16 home runs, which ranks 22nd in the nation and tied for second-most all time at Illinois. Her eight dingers in Big Ten play are one shy of the Illini record and rank ninth all time in Big Ten history.
Additionally, the Illini have hit three grand slams on the year, two by Carly Thomas and one from Allie Bauch, which is the most since 2009.
A SEASON FOR THE BOOKS
The 2015 Illini are having one of the best offensive seasons in program history, posting a program-high .329 batting average and .545 slugging percentage while ranking second all time with an on base percentage of .397. With seven regular-season games still to go, the Illini already rank fourth all time with 59 home runs, second with 80 doubles and fourth in total bases, runs scored and RBIs. The Illini broke the program record for sacrifice flies on April 18, and have recorded the second-fewest strikeouts ever.
Individually, Allie Bauch ranks in the top 10 in all three averages, sitting in ninth in batting average (.395), sixth in slugging percentage (.697) and seventh in on base percentage (.480). Alyssa Gunther ranks seventh with a .404 batting average, while Nicole Evans' slugging percentage of .707 is good for fifth.
With 16 home runs on the season, Evans is tied for second all time in long balls, while Bauch is fourth with 16 doubles and Gunther is third with four triples. Jess Perkins broke the season record for sacrifice flies (5), while Thomas, Gunther and Rivera are tied for third with three apiece.
CARLY'S KILLING IT
Illini freshman Carly Thomas has exploded offensively during the Orange and Blue's recent tear, leading the Big Ten in batting average, slugging percentage and total bases in conference play, while ranking second in doubles and third in hits, RBIs and sac flies. She is among the Illini's all-time leaders during Big Ten play, holding the best slugging percentage, ranking second in batting average and third in on base percentage, while breaking the all-time doubles, RBI and total bases records. She is also second in hits and third in and home runs.
On April 10, Thomas broke the all-time Illini freshman record for home runs with her eighth long ball of the season, and she currently leads all Illini rookies with a .368 batting average and .669 slugging percentage. Additionally, she is second on base percentage, doubles and total bases and fourth in RBIs among Illinois freshmen all time.
BEAT THE BEST TO BE THE BEST
The Illini have always operated under the notion that to be the best you have to play the best, and the 2015 campaign certainly gives Illinois that opportunity.
Illinois has 24 games scheduled against teams that participated in the 2014 NCAA Tournament, including four opponents that advanced to the Super Regionals.
The Illini have played eight games against four teams that were ranked in the NFCA and ESPN.com polls, with an additional three games against teams that were receiving votes.
According to the NCAA RPI, Illinois has played eight games against top-25 opponents, including two at #7 UCLA. The Illini have 15 games on the schedule against teams in the top 50, and a total of 28 against top-100 foes. Illinois already has two a top-35 wins, defeating #30 Mississippi State on Feb. 15 and #34 Northwestern on April 22.
The Illini's six remaining Big Ten games are to #47 Nebraska and #73 Purdue.
The Illini took on then-No. 12/10 Georgia twice on opening weekend, but dropped both contests.
Illinois split a pair of contests with RV Mississippi State, falling 9-8 but bouncing back to hand the Bulldogs their first loss of the season, 4-3. The Bulldogs appeared in the top 25 on March 17.
The Orange and Blue took on No. 13/15 UCLA on their home turf on March 6 and 7, but came up empty in the pair of matchups.
Illinois opened Big Ten play against No. 15 Minnesota, and the three-game series included a fantastic three-hitter pitched by Jade Vecvanags, despite a 3-2 loss in the game.
Illinois faced No. 20 Missouri on March 25 in St. Charles, Missouri. The Illini dropped game one, 17-5, and pouring rain prevented the Orange and Blue from a chance at revenge in the nightcap.
Throughout non-conference play, the Illini were scheduled to face teams from 15 different leagues, including three from the powerhouse SEC. The 2015 slate includes four teams that won their conference last season and four that captured their conference tournament crown.
Of their 52 regular-season games, just 16 will be played at Eichelberger Field, while the remaining 36 are slated to take place away from home.
Illinois' Big Ten draw features five of the top six teams from last season, including Big Ten Co-Champion Nebraska and Big Ten Tournament Champion Minnesota.
FACING FIREPOWER
In addition to facing some of the top teams in the nation, the Fighting Illini have gone up against some of the NCAA's best pitchers. Illinois' batters have faced two of the top-three pitchers in the nation in terms of total strikeouts, seeing #1 Krista Menke (NDSU) and #3 Sara Groenewegen (Minnesota) start four consecutive games from March 17-22. In addition to leading the NCAA in strikeouts, Menke ranks second in shutouts and fifth in wins and hits allowed per 7 IP.
The Illini took on UCLA's Ally Carda on March 6. A top-three finalist for National Pitcher of the Year in 2014, Carda ranks sixth in the nation in shutouts, 10th in hits allowed per seven innings and 13th in strikeouts per game. Carda and Groenewegen are among the 26 candidates selected as finalists for 2015 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year.
Despite facing all-star firepower, the Illini rank ninth in the nation in doubles, 19th in slugging percentage, 21st in home runs, 26th in batting average and 39th in runs scored.
MAKING A SACRIFICE
On Feb. 20, Jess Perkins became the first Illini ever to record two sacrifice flies in a single game, doing so against New Mexico. The three sac flies by the team in the game also tied the all-time record set April 27, 2013, at Michigan State.
On April 18, Perkins broke the all-time career record, driving in her eighth sacrifice fly against Wisconsin, while also tying the single-season record with her fourth. Four days later, Perkins drilled her ninth career sac fly, setting a new single-season record with her fifth of the year.
LEADING LADIES
Illinois has been productive at the start of innings, as the leadoff batter has reached base 45.1 percent of the time. Batting leadoff for the Illini in nearly every game, Allie Bauch leads the pack by reaching safely 39 times as a leadoff batter (.557). In addition to Bauch, six other Illini have reached base in at least 50 percent of their leadoff opportunities, including Annie Fleming, who is 9-for-13 (.692).
COMING THROUGH IN THE CLUTCH
The Fighting Illini have several clutch hitters in the lineup, hitting .292 as a team with two outs and .310 with runners on base. Carly Thomas has proved prolific with two away, hitting .419 with 13 two-out RBIs and going 22-for 62 (.355) with runners on base. Allie Bauch has been a solid two-out hitter, batting .333 with two-out 14 RBIs. She has proved the Illini you want in big moments, hitting a team-high .413 with runners in scoring position, while she and Alyssa Gunther are tied for the team lead at .413 with runners on base. Jess Perkins has swung the heaviest bat with two outs, driving in a team-leading 16 runs with two away.
TREND-SETTER
Allie Bauch has registered 18 home runs since the start of 2014, 12 of which have led off an inning. In all-but-two of the 17 games that Bauch has homered, a second Illini has also hit a home run, and in 11 of those 15 games, a teammate followed her lead.
GOING STREAKING
Heading into the weekend, Allie Bauch is riding an 18-game reached-base streak, tying for the 11th-longest in school history. Nicole Evans had the longest hitting streak of the year, hitting safely in 11 straight games from April 3-18, while Carly Thomas has hit safely in 18 of the last 20 games, including an eight-game multi-hit streak from April 10-22.
