Illini Set for Neutral-Site Weekend Series with Michigan State

Friday, April 14

Caledonia, MI

3 p.m. CT

University of Illinois

Michigan State

Illini Set for Neutral-Site Weekend Series with Michigan State

April 13, 2017 | Softball

Illinois to play single game Friday, doubleheader Saturday at Davenport University

Illinois (28-10, 7-2 Big Ten) vs. Michigan State (21-13, 5-5 Big Ten)
When & Where	April 14-15, 2017 // Friday: 3 p.m. CT // Saturday: 1 & 3 p.m. CT // Farmers Insurance Athletic Complex // Davenport University // Caledonia, Mich.
Game Coverage	Friday Live Stats \| Saturday G1 Live Stats \| Saturday G2 Live Stats \| Live Video: BTN2Go
Full Game Notes	Illinois \| Michigan State
Statistics	Illinois \| Michigan State
Series History	Illinois leads, 20-6 // Last: w, 3-2; 5/12/2016; University Park, Pa. // Streak Won 11
Social Media	@IlliniSB \| #Illini \| Facebook \| @IlliniSB \| YouTube

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The Illinois softball team returns to the road this weekend as the Illini travel for a three-game conference series with Michigan State at Davenport University's Farmers Insurance Athletic Complex this weekend due to flooding of MSU's Secchia Softballl Stadium. The Illini and the Spartans will open the series on Friday (April 14) with a single game at 3 p.m. CT, followed by a doubleheader on Saturday (April 15) beginning at 1 p.m.

The Illini earned their fourth-straight win on Wednesday night as a four-run fourth inning propelled the home team to a 5-2 win over SIUE at Eichelberger Field. Sophomore starter Taylor Edwards (12-1) allowed just one earned run on three hits and pair of walks in four innings to net the win, while senior Breanna Wonderly entered in the seventh inning to close out the victory and earn her fourth save of the season. Offensively, redshirt-freshman Veronica Ruelius led the Illini with a hit and two RBI, while junior Sam Acosta contributed a hit, a run and an RBI in her third-straight start.

In the most recent NCAA softball RBI, released on Monday (April 10), the Illini came in at the No. 25 spot. The Illini, who's season-high mark of No. 22 came in the season's first ranking, sit as the third-highest Big Ten team behind No. 13 Minnesota and No. 15 Michigan. Also highlighting the Top 25 list are Illini opponents No. 2 Auburn, No. 8 Oregon, No. 10 LSU and No. 17 California.

The Illini are coming off their second conference series sweep of the weekend after taking all three games against Purdue over the weekend. The Illini opened the series with a 9-1 six-inning run-rule victory on Friday, before an 11-4 come-from-behind victory on Strikeout Cancer Day on Saturday. UI then capped the weekend with a dramatic 7-6 walk-off win in the on Sunday as senior Nicole Evans knocked the game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning.

For the fourth time this season and the third-straight week, the Fighting Illini received votes in both polls, garnering 16 votes in the USA Today/NFCA Top-25 Poll and 17 votes in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll. The Illini own the second-highest number of votes outside of the Top 25 in both polls.

The Illini own an 9-2 mark at Eichelberger Field this season, with the only two losses coming against then-No. 6 Minnesota on March 31 and April 2.

ILLINI NOTES

Senior Nicole Evans had a career day last Saturday (April 8) as become the program's career RBI leader after posting a career-high six RBI on the day, including knocking her fourth career grand slam in the bottom of the sixth inning - which put her over previous record holder Angelena Mexicano's total of 164 by one. The Glen Ellyn, Ill., native currently owns 166 career RBI with four weeks remaining in the regular season.
Senior Nicole Evans was selected from over 1,200 nominees as the 2017 Arthur Ashe Jr. Female Sports Scholar of the Year, the Diverse: Issues in Higher Education magazine announced on April 6. The prestigious Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars Awards, which is celebrating its 25th silver anniversary in 2017, was established in the name of the tennis legend to honor undergraduate students of color who best exemplify academic and athletic achievement. Inspired by Ashe Jr.'s commitment to education and excellence on the tennis court, the magazine invites every higher education institution in the country annually to nominate outstanding sports scholars. In addition to athletic ability, nominees must exhibit academic excellence and community activism. To be eligible, students have to compete in an intercollegiate sport, maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher, be at least a sophomore academically and be active on their campuses or in their communities.
With her fourth career grand slam and the second this season in a win over Purdue on April 8, senior Nicole Evans pushed her career total to 48 and moving her within three dingers of Angelena Mexicano's career record of 51.
After the Gophers snapped their season-long nine-game winning streak (March 18-31), the Fighting Illini responded to win the next four contests and have won 14 of their last 16 games.
Individually, senior Nicole Evans and sophomore Kiana Sherlund each currently own a six-game reached base streak, with Sherlund also holding a six-game hitting streak. For the season, sophomore Stephanie Abello holds both the longest reached-base streak (14 games) and hitting streak (11 games) on the team.
Senior Nicole Evans posted a .556 batting average with five hits, including a double and a home run, as well as a team-high seven RBI and nine total bases and two runs scored in the Illini's series sweep of Purdue over the weekend, while also registering a 1.000 slugging percentage and a .545 on-base percentage.
Evans' weekend was highlighted by a 3-for-3 performance on Saturday that included a career-high six RBI – with four of those coming on her fourth career grand slam and the second this season, as well as scoring a pair of runs in the win. The six RBI ranked in a tie for third-most RBI in a single contest for the program.
Evans' added to her RBI total with another good outing on Sunday, knocking the game-winning hit – an RBI single through the left side – in the bottom of the seventh inning to secure the weekend sweep.
Junior Maddi Doane paced the Illini with a .600 batting average against the Boilermakers, while seniors Ruby Rivera and and Alyssa Gunther each added a team-high five runs. Gunther also contributed five hits and Rivera posted three doubles for the Illini.
Senior Breanna Wonderly went 3-0 on the weekend with a 0.55 ERA after allowing just two runs – and only one earned run – on seven hits in 12.2 innings. She did not give up a walk, while striking out five as opposing batters hit only .171 against the senior.
Wonderly started strong with a complete game win on Friday, allowing just one earned run on three hits and striking out two. The senior came up big again on Saturday as Purdue chased Illini starting pitcher Taylor Edwards with four runs in the opening frame. Wonderly entered in the first and held the visitors to just three hits over the next 6 1/3 innings, while also striking out three in the victory.
Junior Annie Fleming ranks second in the Big Ten and 14th in the NCAA with 13 doubles on the season and is 19th with 0.35 doubles per game.
Evans has been a juggernaut at the plate and ranks in the top 11 in the nation in several categories, including seventh in RBI (48), eighth in RBI per game (1.30), ninth in slugging percentage (.890), 10th in total bases (97), 11th in batting average (.394) and home runs per game (0.35) and 12th in home runs (13).
Evans ranks in almost every offensive category in the Big Ten Conference, including leading the league in total bases (97) and ranking second in RBI (48), home runs (13) and slugging percentage (.890).