RV/No. 22 Illinois (35-12, 13-4 Big Ten) vs. Eastern Illinois (25-17, 9-4 OVC)
When & Where	May 2, 2017 // 5 p.m. CT // Eichelberger Field // Urbana, Ill.
Game Coverage	Live Stats | Live Video: FightingIllini.com
Full Game Notes	Illinois | Eastern Illinois
Statistics	Illinois | Eastern Illinois
Series History	Illinois leads, 16-2 // Last: W, 9-7; 4/20/2016; Urbana, Ill. / Streak: Won 2
Social Media	@IlliniSB  | #Illini  | Facebook  | @IlliniSB  | YouTube

RV/No. 22 Illinois at Northwestern (20-27, 7-12 Big Ten)
When & Where	May 3, 2017 // 2 p.m. & 4:30 p.m. CT // Drysdale Field // Evanston, Ill.
Game Coverage	Live Stats | BTN | BTN2Go: Game One // Game Two
Full Game Notes	Illinois | Northwestern
Statistics	Illinois | Northwestern
Series History	Illinois trails, 12-24 // Last: L, 6-4; 4/13/2016; Urbana, Ill. // Streak: Lost 2
Social Media	@IlliniSB  | #Illini  | Facebook  | @IlliniSB  | YouTube

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The RV/No. 22 Fighting Illini softball team is set for six games over the final week of the 2017 regular season, starting with their final nonconference contest of the season on Tuesday (May 2) night as they welcome in Eastern Illinois for Military Appreciation Night at 5 p.m. CT in Eichelberger Field. Illinois then heads to Evanston, Ill., for a BTN-broadcasted doubleheader against Northwestern on Wednesday (May 3) at 2 & 4:30 p.m. in Drysdale Field. Originally scheduled for April 5th, forecasted rain forced the two games to be moved. 

The Illini will then wrap up the regular season this weekend (May 5-7) as Ohio State comes to Eichelberger Field for the two teams' final Big Ten series of the year. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. CT on Friday and 1 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. Saturday will also be the annual World's Largest Softball Tailgate and Senior Day, with WLST beginning at 11 a.m., and the senior ceremony taking place after the conclusion of the game. Sunday's contest will also be aired on BTN.

With weather a major factor over the past weekend, the Illini and Wisconsin were only able to get two of their originally planned three games in - with the two teams splitting the two contests. The Illini opened the series with the Badgers on Friday night, earning a come-from-behind 7-2 victory after scoring seven unanswered runs, including a four-run fifth frame, before falling 3-0 on Saturday. Sunday's series finale was then cancelled due to weather and field conditions.

Prior to the weekend, the Illini had won three-straight Big Ten Conference series and fourth total this season, including series victories over Iowa, Purdue, Michigan State and Nebraska. 

In the most recent NCAA softball RPI, released on Monday (May 1), the Illini came in at No. 22 and were the second-highest team ranked in the Big Ten behind conference leader Minnesota at No. 11. Also highlighting the Top 25 list are Illini opponents No. 4 Auburn, No. 7 Oregon, No. 12 LSU and No. 25 California, while Michigan represented the third Big Ten team in the top 25, coming in just behind the Illini at No. 23. Two weeks ago on April 17, the Illini garnered a season-high ranking of No. 19.   

The Illini own an 11-3 mark at Eichelberger Field this season, with the only three losses coming against then-No. 6 Minnesota on March 31 and April 2 and against Wisconsin on Saturday. On the road, the Illini hold an 11-4 mark with the four losses coming against then-No. 13 LSU, Nebraska, Kennesaw State and Georgia State.

ILLINI NOTES

• The Illini softball team had a successful night at the Fighting Illini Oskee Awards Celebration on Monday (April 24) night, with senior star Nicole Evans garnering the prestigious Big Ten Conference Medal of Honor and was named a Dike Eddleman Female Athlete of the Year finalist. Junior Jill Nicklas was honored with the 2017 Fighting Illini Spirit Award, while senior Alyssa Gunther was awarded the Leader of Distinction honor. Sophomore Stephanie Abello was recognized for the highest GPA (3.97 in creative writing) among the sophomore class and classmate Kiana Sherlund was named a Female Newcomer of the Year finalist. The Illini softball team as a whole also received the Illini Life Skills Team Competition Award for its commitment to community service.
• With her 15th home run of the season in a win over Butler on April 19, senior Nicole Evans pushed her career total to 50 and moving her within one dinger of Angelena Mexicano's career record of 51.
• The Fighting Illini set their season-long win streak at 10 games with a victory at Nebraska on April 22, but had the streak snapped in a loss on April 23 against the Huskers. Despite this, the Illini have won 21 of their last 25 games, with the other three losses coming at the hands of then-No. 6 Minnesota and Wisconsin last Saturday. 
• Individually, junior Leigh Farina owns a 12-game reached base streak to lead the Illini. For the season, sophomore Stephanie Abello holds both the longest reached-base streak (14 games) and hitting streak (11 games) on the team.  
• Sophomore Stephanie Abello led the Fighting Illini softball team to series split with Wisconsin over the past week, registering a  .400 batting average with two hits – both going as doubles – to go along with team highs of three RBI and four runs and one run scored. She also posted an .800 slugging percentage and an .500 on-base percentage between the two games. Defensively, Abello recorded a 1.000 fielding percentage with eight putouts, two assists and caught two runners trying to steal second from behind the plate. 
• Abello was the catalyst for the Illini in their 7-2 win over the Badgers on Friday night, going 2-for-2 with two doubles, three RBI and a run.
• Senior Nicole Evans posted a team-high .500 batting average with two hits - both going as doubles -  as well as two runs, four total bases, two walks, one hit-by-pitch and a 1.000 slugging percentage.
• Junior Leigh Farina contined her hot streak, going 1-for-4 with a double, as well as two RBI.
• Senior Breanna Wonderly paced the Illini in the circle in last weekend's two games, registering a 1.58 ERA after allowing just three earned runs on 10 hits in 13.1 innings of work, while also striking out four. 
• Wonderly led the Illini in the circle on Friday, giving up just two unearned runs on five hits and striking out three in a complete game effort. She took the loss on Saturday despite only allowing three runs on five hits and struck out one in 6.1 innings.
• The Illini rank in the top 25 in the nation in a number offensive categories, including ranking  ninth in doubles per game (1.57), 18th in scoring with 5.87 runs scored per game, 20th in slugging percentage (.478) and 21st in batting average (.315). The Illini also come in at No. 54 with 0.81 home runs per game. 
• Senior Nicole Evans has been a juggernaut at the plate and ranks in the top 25 in the nation in several categories, including ninth in slugging percentage (.857), 14th in RBI (53) and RBI per game (1.13), 17th in home runs (15) and homers per contest (0.32) and 22nd in total bases (114). She also sits 49th with a .500 on-base percentage. 

NEXT UP

Illinois wraps up its regular season this weekend as Ohio State comes to Eichelberger Field for a three-game series this weekend, May 5-7. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. CT on Friday and 1 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. Saturday will also be the annual World's Largest Softball Tailgate and Senior Day, with WLST beginning at 11 a.m., and the senior ceremony taking place after the conclusion of the game. Sunday's contest will also be aired on BTN.