| Fresno State Friendly |
Games 22-23:
Fresno State |
Friday, March 16, 2018 | 5 & 7 p.m. CT | Margie Wright Diamond | Fresno, Calif.
Live Video: Mountain West Network | Live Stats |
Game 24-25:
Cal Poly |
Saturday, March 17, 2018 | 3 & 5 p.m. CT | Margie Wright Diamond | Fresno, Calif.
Game 1 Live Stats | Game 2 Live Stats |
| Full Tournament Notes |
Illinois | Fresno State | Cal Poly |
| Statistics |
Illinois (13-8) | Fresno State (13-11) | Cal Poly (13-9) |
| Series History |
Fresno State: Illinois trails 1-3 // Last: L, 3-2; 3/18/2011; Fullerton, Calif. // Streak: Lost 1
Cal Poly: Illinois leads, 2-0 // Last: W, 3-0; 2/15/2008; Las Vegas, Nev. // Streak: Won 2
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| Social Media |
@IlliniSB  | #Illini | Facebook  | @IlliniSB  | YouTube 
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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The Illinois softball team looks to continue its four-game winning streak as it travels to Fresno, Calif., for the Fresno State Friendly at the Margie Wright Diamon on March 16-17. The Illini will play a pair of doubleheaders against the host Bulldogs on Friday at 5 & 7 p.m. CT and Cal Poly on Saturday at 3 & 5 p.m.
ILLINI NOTES
- Illinois opened this week's action with a neutral-sit doubleheader sweep of Missouri on Wednesday at the Lou Brock Sports Complex at Lindenwood University in St. Charles. The Illini earned wins of 5-2 and 9-6 over the Tigers.
- The Illini went 3-2 last week, with a midweek win over Bradley last Wednesday (March 7), followed by a pair of setbacks to No. 23 Mississippi State and back-to-back wins over UMass-Lowell in Starkville, Miss., over the weekend (March 9-11).
- The 2018 season marks the 19th season for the Illinois softball program, with the Illini owning a 57.8 winning percentage as a program with a 575-419 -2 overall record, as well as a 182-162 mark in Big Ten Conference action.
OESTREICH TOSSES 13TH NO-HITTER IN PROGRAM HISTORY
- Junior Emily Oestreich did not allow a hit in six innings en route to tossing just the 13th no-hitter in program history in an 11-0 run-rule victory over UMass-Lowell on Saturday (March 10) afternoon.
- Oestreich was dominant in the circle for the Illini, equaling a season-high eight strikeouts, while allowing just three base runners all day on three walks.
ILLINI SWEEP TIGERS TO CLAIM BRAGGIN' RIGHTS
- For the first time since the 2014 season, the Illini earned a win over its border rival Missouri as the Illini swept their neutral-site doubleheader with the Tigers, 5-2 and 9-6, at the Lou Brock Sports Complex on the campus of Lindenwood University on Wednesday (March 14) afternoon.
- Freshman Bella Loya registered a .800 batting average with four hits in the two games, while junior Kiana Sherlund went 4-for-8 with a triple, three RBI and two runs scored. Junior Stephanie Abello posted two hits, three RBI and a run on the day, with redshirt-junior Carly Thomas adding two hits, two RBI and a run.
- Junior Emily Oestreich (8-3) earned her eighth victory of the season after allowing just two earned runs on six hits and two walks, while striking out four in a complete game effort in day's first game.
- Junior Taylor Edwards (4-5) started game two and went 6.1 innings, giving up five runs – three earned – on four hits and three walks, while striking out one in the win. Oestreich gave up just one earned run on two hits and a walk and struck out two in 0.2 frames of relief action in the seventh inning.
HEAD COACH TYRA PERRY NEARING WIN MILESTONES
- In her 17th season as an NCAA Division I softball head coach, Tyra Perry sits just three wins away from her 500th career victory and owns a 497-439-1 overall record with a .530 winning percentage.
- In her third season at the helm of the Illinois softball program, Perry is just eight wins from marking her 100th in Champaign and is 92-51 (.643) during her time in the Orange and Blue.
ILLINI AT THE PLATE
- The Illini pace the conference and rank 26th in the NCAA with a .321 batting average, while also ranking nationally in doubles per game (47th, 1.48), scoring (48th, 5.38), slugging percentage (53rd, .448) and triples per game (60th, 0.24).
- UI also sits in the top five in the league in numerous offensive categories, including leading the league in hits (187), RBI (103) and total bases (261), as well ranking second in slugging percentage (.448), on-base percentage (.375), runs (113), triples (5), sacrifice flies (6) and fifth in doubles (31).
- Redshirt-junior Carly Thomas leads the Big Ten and ranks 19th in the NCAA with nine doubles on the season, while also ranking 17th with 0.43 doubles per game. The California native also sits 12th in the nation and paces the conference with three sacrifice flies.
- The Illini have four players in the top 15 in batting average in the Big Ten, with junior Kiana Sherlund leading the way in fourth with a .395 average, senior Sam Acosta sitting 11th with a .364 percentage, freshman Bella Loya ranking 14th with a .348 clip and Thomas in 15th with a .343 average.
- Sherlund leads the Illini, ranks tied for third in the Big Ten and 84th in the nation with 30 hits this season, while also sitting in a tie for fourth with two triples, seventh with 17 runs and 12th with a .425 on-base percentage.
- Thomas also sits in the top 15 in the league in RBI (ninth, 17), total bases (t-11th, 36), hits (t-12th, 24) and runs (t-13th, 15).
ILLINI IN THE CIRCLE
- In the circle, junior Emily Oestreich paces the Illini with a 2.79 ERA in 70.1 innings of action, making 18 appearances and starting 13 contests. Her eight wins on the season rank fifth in the league, while her frames worked sits ninth in the B1G.
- Oestreich also sits seventh in the conference with 62 strikeouts, while ranking 13th in opponent batting average with foes only hitting .230 against the right hander.
- Junior Taylor Edwards sits second in the conference and 25th nationally with two saves in 2018.
