OSU-Tulsa Invitational
Game 14: Northern Iowa (6-4)	Friday, March 1, 2019 | 12 p.m. CT | Collins Family Softball Complex | Tulsa, Okla. Live Stats
Game 15: Tulsa (10-5)	Friday, March 1, 2019 | 5 p.m. CT | Collins Family Softball Complex | Tulsa, Okla. Live Stats | Video
Game 16: Seattle (9-6)	Saturday, March 2, 2019 | 1:30 p.m. CT | Collins Family Softball Complex | Tulsa, Okla. Live Stats
Game 17: Syracuse (4-9)	Saturday, March 2, 2019 | 3:30 p.m. CT | Collins Family Softball Complex | Tulsa, Okla. Live Stats
Tournament Notes	Illinois
2019 Statistics	Illinois | Northern Iowa | Tulsa | Seattle | Syracuse
Series History	Northern Iowa: Illinois leads, 1-0 // Last: W, 8-0; 2/10/2013; Cedar Falls, Ia. // Streak: Won 1 Tulsa: Illinois trails, 1-4 // Last: W, 5-4; 2/28/2016; Austin, Tx. // Streak: Won 1 Seattle: Illinois leads, 1-0 // Last: W, 9-1; 3/20/2016; Santee, Calif. // Won 1 Syracuse: Illinois leads, 3-0 // Last: W, 7-3; 3/20/2010; Clearwater, Fla. // Won 3
Social Media	@IlliniSB  | #Illini  | Facebook  | @IlliniSB  | YouTube

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The Illinois softball team continues tournament action this weekend at the OSU-Tulsa Invitational, hosted by the University of Tulsa at the Collins Family Softball Complex on March 1-2. Due to expected bad weather on Sunday, the weekend schedule was adjusted to a two-day event on Friday and Saturday.

The Friday schedule for the Illini did not change, with UI taking on Northern Iowa at 12 p.m. CT, before facing the host Hurricanes at 5 p.m. The Illini then take on Seattle at 1:30 p.m., and Syracuse at 3:30 p.m., on Saturday, with Sunday's contest against McNeese cancelled due to weather.

ILLINI NOTES

• The 2019 season marks the 20th season for the Illinois softball program, with the Illini owning a 58.5 winning percentage as a program and earned their landmark 600th win in the first game of the 2019 season - a 7-4 win over No. 22 Oklahoma State - and own a 609-432-2 overall record, as well as a 195-170 mark in Big Ten Conference action.
• The Illini had another strong weekend as UI went 3-1 at the Mardi Gras Invitational on Feb. 22-24 in Mobile, Ala. Despite a weather-altered schedule, the Illini opened the tournament with a dominating 11-2 win over host South Alabama, before splitting Saturday's contests with an 8-2 win over Nicholls State, before a 7-2 setback to Stephen F. Austin. UI then wrapped up the weekend with a 5-3 win over NSU on Sunday morning. The Illini registered a .336 team batting average in the four games and outscored its foes, 26-14, while also totaling 39 hits, including eight doubles and the second-straight weekend with seven home runs.

ILLINI IN THE POLLS

• The Illini stayed somewhat consistent in the polls this week, dropping out of the Top 25 for the USA Today/NFCA Top-25 poll, but coming in at the top spot in the receiving votes section. The Illini were ranked in the other two polls, sitting at No. 25 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Top-25 poll and No. 22 in the Softball America Top-25 poll. 
• The Illini opened the season unranked, but after a successful first weekend in Houston, the Illini entered the receiving votes section of both the NFCA and USA Softball polls, while also being ranked at No. 21 in the Softball America Top-25. After an undefeated weekend at the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, the Illini were ranked in all three polls, coming in at No. 25 in the USA Today/NFCA Top-25 poll, No. 24 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Top-25 poll and No. 18 in the Softball America Top-25 poll.   

MARDI GRAS INVITATIONAL STANDOUTS

• Sophomore Bella Loya was stellar at the plate, registering a .667 average with a 10-for-15 effort that included three home runs and two doubles, as well as tallying eight RBI, four runs and a 1.400 slugging percentage. 
• Redshirt-senior Annie Fleming added a .533 batting average with eight hits, including two home runs and a double, as well as four RBI and five runs, while redshirt-senior Carly Thomas (.467) and sophomore Maddison Demers (.400) each also hit .400 or better on the weekend.
• Freshman Sydney Sickels posted a 2-1 record in the tournament, with one complete game and 17 strikeouts to lead the Illini in the circle. 
• The Illini quartet of sophomore Bella Loya, redshirt-seniors Annie Fleming and Carly Thomas and freshman Sydney Sickels were all named to the Mardi Gras Invitational All-Tournament Team after leading the Illini to a 3-1 record on the weekend. 
• The foursome totaled 25 hits, 15 RBI, 13 runs, six doubles, five home runs and two wins and 17 strikeouts in the four-game tournament.

LOYA NAMED BIG TEN PLAYER OF THE WEEK

• After a dominating offense performance to lead the Illinois softball team at the Mardi Gras Invitational, sophomore designated player/catcher Bella Loya was tabbed as the Big Ten Conference Player of the Week, the league announced on Monday (Feb. 25).
• Sophomore Bella Loya was stellar at the plate, registering a .667 average with a 10-for-15 effort that included three home runs and two doubles, as well as tallying eight RBI, four runs and a 1.400 slugging percentage. 

THOMAS NEARING CAREER DOUBLES RECORD

• With seven doubles so far in the 2019 season and 51 total in her career, redshirt-senior Carly Thomas is just one two-bagger away from tying Erin Montgomery's (2001-04) program record of 52.  
• Thomas entered the 2019 season with 44 career doubles to rank fourth in the program.

HITTING STREAKS

• Redshirt-senior Carly Thomas has recorded at least one hit in all 13 games the Illini have played this season, while classmate Annie Fleming has also reached base in all 13 games on the season.
• Senior Kiana Sherlund has registered at least one hit in 12 of 13 games, with her hitting streak halted at 11 games against Stephen F. Austin (2/23). 

ILLINI AT THE PLATE

• As a team, the Illini pace the Big Ten Conference in batting average (.337), slugging percentage (.579), on-base percentage (.427), runs (96), hits (128) and home runs (22), while also ranking second in RBI (79), doubles (26) and total bases (220). 
• Nationally, the Illini rank in the top 20 in the NCAA in home runs per game (3rd, 1.69), slugging percentage (11th), scoring (12th, 7.38), doubles per game (13th 2.00), batting average (17th) and slugging percentage (17th).
• Sophomore Bella Loya has been dominate at the plate and ranks in the top 15 in the NCAA in home runs (4th), home runs per game (5th), total bases (6th), RBI (10th) and slugging percentage (13th), while also leading the Big Ten in homers, total bases and slugging percentage. 
• Redshirt-Senior Annie Fleming ranks second in the league in batting average and hits, as well as 23rd in total bases, 25th in home runs and 26th in hits in the nation. 
• Redshirt-senior Carly Thomas leads the Illini and the Big Ten and sits seventh nationally with seven doubles on the season.
• Senior Kiana Sherlund leads the Illini and the Big Ten with 16 runs scored. 

SHERLUND NAMED TO TOP 50 WATCH LIST FOR 2019 USA SOFTBALL COLLEGIATE POY 

• Senior Kiana Sherlund was named to the Top 50 Watch List for the 2019 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, the organization announced on January 30. 
• A National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Midwest Region First-Team and unanimous All-Big Ten First Team selection a season ago, Sherlund paced the Illini in multiple offensive categories, including batting average (.397), runs (52), hits (81), triples (8), RBI (47) and total bases (122), while also ranking second in stolen bases (15). The outfielder also led the Big Ten Conference in hits, triples and total bases, while also ranking fourth in batting average and runs and seventh in RBIs.
• An Illinois Dike Eddleman Female Athlete of the Year Finalist in 2018, Sherlund also ranked third in the NCAA in triples and eighth in hits, with her eight three-baggers and 81 knocks setting new season records for the program in both categories. The Fairfax, Virginia native owned a team-high 36 multiple-hit games, while also totaling 12 multiple-RBI contests, with four of her six home runs she registered last season going as grand slams.