Houston Invitational
Game 1: #22/21 Oklahoma State	Friday, Feb. 8, 2019 | 10:30 a.m. CT | Cougar Softball Stadium | Houston, Texas Live Stats
Game 2: #13/15 Kentucky	Friday, Feb. 8, 2019 | 1 p.m. CT | Cougar Softball Stadium | Houston, Texas Live Stats
Game 3: #22/21 Oklahoma State	Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019 | 2 p.m. CT | Cougar Softball Stadium | Houston, Texas Live Stats
Game 4: Houston	Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019 | 7 p.m. CT | Longwood, Fla. | Soldiers Creek Park Live Stats | Video
Game 5: Sam Houston State	Sunday, Feb. 10, 2019 | 11:30 a.m. CT | Cougar Softball Stadium | Houston, Texas Live Stats
Full Tournament Notes	Illinois | Oklahoma State | Kentucky
2018 Statistics	Illinois | Oklahoma State | Kentucky | Houston | Sam Houston State
Tournament Central	https://uhcougars.com/sports/2018/11/29/houston-invitational.aspx
Series History	Oklahoma State: Series tied, 1-1 // Last: L, 7-3; 3/21/2010; Clearwater, Fa. // Streak: Lost 1 Kentucky: Illinois trails, 0-4; Last: L, 2-4; 5/21/2017; Lexington, Ky. // Streak: Lost 4 Houston: Illinois leads, 4-2; Last: L, 12-2; 2/22/2015; Houston, Texas // Streak: Lost 1 Sam Houston State: Illinois leads, 3-0; Last: W, 13-7; 3/4/2016; Clearwater, Fla. // Streak: Won 3
Social Media	@IlliniSB  | #Illini  | Facebook  | @IlliniSB  | YouTube

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Illinois opens its 20th season of softball with a trip to Houston, Texas, for the Houston Invitational, hosted by the University of Houston in Cougar Softball Stadium on February 8-10. UI kicks things off against No. 22/21 Oklahoma State and No. 13/15 Kentucky on Friday at 10:30 a.m. CT and 1 p.m., respectively, before facing the Cowboys again at 2 p.m., on Saturday, followed by a 7 p.m., game against host Houston. UI then wraps up the tournament against Sam Houston State at 11:30 a.m., on Sunday.

ILLINI NOTES

• The 2019 season will mark the 20th season for the Illinois softball program, with the Illini owning a 58.3 winning percentage as a program and are just one win away from a landmark 600th win with a 599-429-2 overall record, as well as a 195-170 mark in Big Ten Conference action.
• The Illini are 11-8 in season opening games, including a 9-1 five-inning win over Providence last season at the Friends of Jaclyn Invitational in Longwood, Fla. 
• As is tradition under Coach Perry, the Illini will face one of their toughest schedules in 2019, featuring 24 games against 12 NCAA Regional teams, including Oklahoma State, Kentucky, Houston, Hofstra, Tulsa, McNeese, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Missouri, Michigan, Northwestern and Ohio State. The Illini will take on 12 teams that are ranked or are receiving votes in the USA Today/NFCA Top-25 poll, including No. 4 Oklahoma, No. 13 Kentucky, No. 19 Michigan, No. 21 Minnesota, No. 22 Oklahoma State, Northwestern (RV), Ohio State (RV), Hofstra (RV), Missouri (RV), McNeese (RV), Tulsa (RV) and Houston (RV), as well as 11 teams receiving votes or ranked in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Top-25 Poll, including No. 4 Oklahoma, No. 14 Michigan, No. 15 Kentucky, No. 21 Oklahoma State, No. 23 Minnesota, No. 24 Ohio State, Northwestern (RV), Tulsa (RV), Wisconsin (RV), Hofstra (RV) and Nebraska (RV).
• The Illini return 15 members from the 2018 squad, including five starters and four pitchers while welcoming in two transfers - Maddy Adams and Katie Wingerter - and eight freshmen - Kailee Powell, Zaria Dunlap, Danielle Dennis, Danielle Davis, Sydney Sickels, Avrey Steiner, Hannah Sasaki and Abby Sagert.
• The Illini wrapped up the third season under head coach Tyra Perry with a 37-18 overall record in 2018 and a sixth-place finish with a 13-8 mark in the Big Ten Conference. It was the first time in program history the Illini have registered 36 wins or more for three-straight seasons after notching 36 wins in 2016 and 39 victories in 2017. 
• It was also just the second time in program history that the Illini have posted 30+ wins per season in a three-year span after notching wins of 49, 34, 39 and 45, respectively, from 2001-04.
• The Illini's 37 wins in 2018 ranked as the fourth-most victories in the Big Ten behind Michigan (44), Minnesota (41) and Northwestern (38).
• The Illini concluded the regular season with an overall record of 36-17 for the second-straight season and registered a sixth place finish in the Big Ten Conference standings with a 13-8 mark. The Illini finished the season winning 12 of their final 15 contests of 2018. 
• The Illini tallied one of their best home seasons in program history with a 15-2 record at Eichelberger Field a season ago, including posting the second-highest win percentage and most victories in program history.

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.

ILLINI OFFENSE SHINES IN 2018

• The Illini owned one of the top-ranked offenses in the nation, ranking fourth in the country with 6.36 runs per game and 10th with a .318 batting average. The Illini also rank in the top 45 nationally in doubles per game (16th, 1.51), slugging percentage (17th, .488), triples per game (24th, 0.29), on base percentage (30th, .388) and home runs per game (44th, 0.91).
• The Illini finished the 2018 season ranking first in the Big Ten in eight offensive categories, including batting average (.318), slugging percentage (.488), runs scored (350), hits (493), RBI (312), doubles (83), triples (16) and total bases (758).
• The Illini also ranked third in on-base percentage (.390), home runs (50) and HBPs (42).
• In league action, the Illini led the conference in doubles (40) and total bases (286), while also ranking second in runs (151), hits (190), stolen bases (32) and HPBs (19) and third in batting average (.311) and RBI (132)

SHERLUND & THOMAS LEAD ILLINI OFFENSE 

• Senior Kiana Sherlund and redshirt-senior Carly Thomas have been offensive catalysts for the Illini this season with the duo leading the squad and ranking in the top 11 of the Big Ten with Sherlund sitting fourth with a .397 average and Thomas ranking 11th with a .363 clip, while also ranking in the top eight in the conference in runs, hits, RBI and total bases.
• Sherlund paced the conference with 81 hits, eight triples and 122 total bases, as well as sitting fourth with 52 runs, seventh with 47 RBI, tied for 10th with 15 stolen bases and 14th with a .598 slugging percentage.
• Thomas ranks second in the league with four sacrifice flies, as well as sitting fourth with 17 doubles and 114 total bases, fifth with 66 hits, seventh with 47 runs, eighth with 46 RBI, 11th with a .626 slugging percentage and 14th with nine home runs.
• Sherlund's eight three-baggers this season ranks third in the nation, with her 0.15 triples per game sitting fourth in the NCAA.
• With 17 doubles on the season, Thomas ranks in a tie for fourth all-time in program history for two-baggers in a season.
• Sherlund also ranks ninth in the nation in hits, as well as 30th in runs per game (0.95), 50th in total bases and 66th in batting average, while Thomas ranked 42nd in doubles per game (0.31) and 48th in sacrifice flies. 
• Sherlund owns a team-high 26 multiple-hit games - including seven three-hit contests and two four-hit game - while also totaling a team-high 12 multiple-RBI games this season, highlighted by two five-RBI efforts against Penn State on April 28 and Maryland on April 8 as well as four-RBI performances in wins over Murray State on March 3 and UIC on March 20.
• Thomas also owns a team-high 12 multiple RBI games with two three RBI games and three four RBI games this season.

ILLINI IN THE CIRCLE

• Senior Emily Oestreich paced the Illini with 16 wins last season and a 3.26 ERA, ranking ninth and 14th, respectively, in the Big Ten. and is ninth in the Big Ten for victories.
• Oestreich also ranked tied for sixth in the conference in games started (27), ninth in appearances (40), 11th with a .248 opposing batting average and 13th with 102 strikeouts.
• Senior Taylor Edwards finished in a tie second in the conference and 49th nationally with three saves in 2018.
• Edwards also ranked in a tie for 11th with 14 wins and 15th with 23 games started. 
• In conference action, Edwards ranked in a tie for eighth with six wins, while also sitting 12th with a 3.29 ERA, 13th with a .263 oposing batting average and 15th with 61.2 innings pitched.