Illinois at the I-75 Challenge
Games 9-10: Georgia State	Friday, Feb. 24, 2017 | 12 & 2 p.m. CT | Atlanta, Ga. | Heck Softball Complex Live Stats
Games 11-12: Kennesaw State	Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017 | 12 & 2 p.m. CT | Kennesaw, Ga. | Bailey Park Live Stats | Live Video
Game 13: Georgia Tech	Sunday, Feb. 26, 2017 | 12 p.m. CT | Atlanta, Ga. | Mewborn Field Live Stats | Live Video
Full Tournament Notes	Illinois
Statistics	Illinois | Georgia State | Kennesaw State | Georgia Tech
Series History	Georgia State: Illinois leads, 1-0 // Last: W, 3-1; 3/23/2001 // Streak: Won 1 Kennesaw State: First Meeting Georgia Tech: Illinois leads, 4-3 // Last: W, 4-2; 2/11/2017 // Streak: Won 2
Social Media	@IlliniSB  | #Illini  | Facebook  | @IlliniSB  | YouTube

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The Illinois softball team will face its first true road tests of the season this weekend, when the Illini travel to Atlanta, Ga., for the I-75 Challenge on Feb. 24-26. The Illini open the weekend taking on Georgia State in a doubleheader at the Heck Softball Complex on Friday, before traveling to Kennesaw, Ga., to face Kennesaw State in a doubleheader at Bailey Park on Saturday. UI then wraps up the weekend with a single game against Georgia Tech - the third meeting of the season between the two schools - at Mewborn Field on Sunday. Games on all three days will begin at 12 p.m. CT. 

The Illini will look to rebound from a 1-2 weekend at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic last weekend. The Illini started off strong with a 5-1 win over Saint Mary's on Friday, before dropping a tight 2-1 decision to No. 22 California on Friday evening. The Orange and Blue then finished the tournament with a 11-0 five-inning setback to No. 9 Oregon on Sunday. The Illini were scheduled to play five games during the three-day tournament, but rain and field conditions forced officials to adjust the schedule multiple times - including cancelling all games on Saturday. 

WEEKEND STANDOUTS

• Sophomore Kiana Sherlund has made an immediate impact in her first season with the Illini and led the team at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, including taking on two ranked foes over the weekend. Sherlund registered a .667 batting average with six hits, including a double and a triple, to go along with one run and one RBI. She totaled nine bases and two stolen bases, while posting a 1.000 slugging percentage and a .667 on-base percentage. Defensively, she had a 1.000 fielding percentage with one putout in right field. 
• Sherlund's weekend was highlighted by a 3-for-4 effort plus, a double and a run against Saint Mary's and a 2-for-2 performance with an RBI triple – driving in the lone run against No. 22 Cal. She also added a single against No. 9/7 Oregon on Sunday. 
• Sophomore Taylor Edwards continued her strong play to earn her third win of the season in a five-inning outing against Saint Mary's on Friday morning, allowing just one earned run on three hits and collecing one strikeout.
• Senior Breanna Wonderly pitched her second complete game of the season against No. 22 California on Friday evening, giving up just two runs, with only one earned, on six hits and a walk and striking out two in the outing.
• True freshmen Hanna Nilsen and Akilah Mouzon both made their collegiate debut over the weekend, with Nilsen seeing an inning of relief action in the sixth frame against Saint Mary's, giving up one hit and one walk in the appearance. Mouzon made her Illini debut in the fifth inning against the Ducks, allowing just one run on two hits and striking out one in an inning of action.

ILLINI NOTES

• Defensively, the Illini have been sharp to start the 2017 season and rank fourth in the NCAA and lead the Big Ten with a .991 fielding percentage after only committing two errors through eight games. In total, the Illini have recorded 153 putouts and 65 assists in 220 chances and have fielded four double plays.
• Offensively, the Illini have outscored their opponents, 44-28 and rank 19th in the country and second in the Big Ten with a .355 batting average and are 29th in the NCAA and fourth in the conference with a .527 slugging percentage. The Orange and Blue are averaging 5.5 runs per game to sit 63rd in the nation in that category, as well as 52nd in doubles per game (1.63), 54th in home runs per game (0.88), 59th in stolen bases per game (1.5) and 65th in triples per game (0.25). 
• The Illini have registered 78 hits through eight games this season, with 28 percent of their hits going for extra bases, including 13 doubles, two triples and seven home runs.
• Senior Nicole Evans and junior Maddi Doane are tied for the team lead with a .500 batting average, while also ranking third in the conference and 67th in the NCAA.
• Junior Annie Fleming paces the Illini and sits fifth in the league with 10 RBI, while her 1.25 RBI per game put her 66th in the NCAA. She also leads the team with four doubles and ranks 43rd in the NCAA with 0.5 two-baggers per game.
• Fleming and Evans are tied for the team lead and rank fourth in the Big Ten with 13 hits a piece. 
• Fleming, Evans and Doane have combined for 37 hits, including 10 doubles and four home runs, 21 RBIs, 16 runs and 59 total bases - which translates into 47 percent of the hits, 52.5 percent of the RBIs, 36.4 percent of the runs scored and 51 percent of the total bases. 

NEXT UP

• The Illini continue nonconference action in Baton Rouge, La., at the LSU Invitational, where they will take on Illinois State, RV/RV FAU, Troy and No. 7/8 LSU on March 3-5.