Game 22: Illinois (16-5) vs. IUPUI (6-20)
When & Where	March 19, 2019 // 5 p.m. CT // Eichelberger Field // Urbana, Ill.
Game Coverage	Live Stats | Live Video: BTN Plus ($)
Full Game Notes	Illinois
Statistics	Illinois | IUPUI
Series History	Illinois leads, 6-0 // Last: W, 7-2; 5/1/2018; Urbana, Ill. // Streak Won 6
Tickets	FREE
Social Media	@IlliniSB  | #Illini  | Facebook  | @IlliniSB  | YouTube

Games 23-24: Illinois vs. Indiana State (10-12)
When & Where	March 20, 2019 // 4 & 6 p.m. CT // Eichelberger Field // Urbana, Ill.
Game Coverage	Live Stats | Live Video: BTN Plus ($)
Full Game Notes	Illinois
Statistics	Illinois | Indiana State
Series History	Illinois leads, 9-1 // Last: W, 9-0 (5); 5/4/2016; Urbana, Ill. // Streak Won 2
Tickets	FREE
Social Media	@IlliniSB  | #Illini  | Facebook  | @IlliniSB  | YouTube

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - After opening the first five weeks of the season on the road, the Illinois softball team returns to Eichelberger Field for a seven-game homestand, starting with the 2019 home opener on Tuesday (March 19) against IUPUI at 5 p.m. CT, before facing off against Indiana State in a doubleheader on Wednesday (March 20) beginning at 4 p.m. CT.

The Illini will then open the 2019 Big Ten schedule with a three-game series against Wisconsin on March 22-24 at Eichelberger Field. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. CT on Friday, 1 p.m. CT on Saturday and 12 p.m. CT on Sunday, before taking on Eastern Illinois next Tuesday (March 26) at 5 p.m. CT.

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 615-434-2 overall record, as well as a 195-170 mark in Big Ten Conference action. 
• The Illini finished off the their nonconference tournament slate with a 4-1 record at the LMU Tournament this past weekend, outscoring their foes, 30-017, with a pair of run-rule victories over UCSB and Cal Poly, as well as a victory at Loyola Maryland and a second win over CPU. 
• The first NCAA softball PRI was released on Monday (March 18), with the Illini coming in at the No. 20 spot. The Illini are the third-highest Big Ten team, sitting only behind No. 12 Minnesota and No. 16 Northwestern.

ILLINI AT EICHELBERGER FIELD

• The Illini are 14-4 in home openers and have won three-straight, including a 6-4 win over UIC in last season's home opener.
• The Illini have once before played IUPUI for a home opener, earning a 8-0, five-inning victory in 2016.
• The Illini tallied one of their best home seasons in program history a season ago with a 15-2 record at Eichelberger Field in 2018, including posting the second-highest win percentage and most victories in program history.  

LMU TOURNAMENT STAT SHOUTOUTS

• Sophomore Maddison Demers paced the squad with six RBI after registering a .417 batting average at the LMU Tournament with five hits, including a pair of home runs and three runs. The sophomore also turned in a pair of walks and posted a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage with 27 putouts and two assists at first base. In a strong opening day, Demers led the Illini in the pair of run-rule wins on Friday with four RBI, two hits and two runs.
• Senior Veronica Ruelius led the Illini with a 4-for-8 performance at the plate with three RBI and three runs. 
• Redshirt-senior Annie Fleming – who turned 23 on Sunday – totaled team-highs of six hits and five runs on the weekend. 
• Freshman Sydney Sickels had another strong showing in the circle, posting a 3-0 record with a 1.17 ERA after giving just up three earned runs and striking out eight in 18.0 innings.

THOMAS BREAKS CAREER DOUBLES RECORD

• With three doubles in a win over UNI on March 1, redshirt-senior Carly Thomas became the career doubles leader at Illinois after passing Erin Montgomery's (2011-14) total of 52 two-baggers and currently owns 55 in her Illini career. 
• Thomas owns 11 doubles on the season to pace the Big Ten Conference and rank eighth in the NCAA. She entered the 2019 season with 44 career doubles to rank fourth in the program.

ILLINI AT THE PLATE

• As a team, the Illini pace the Big Ten Conference in batting average (.329), slugging percentage (.549), on-base percentage (.410) and doubles (41_, while also ranking second in home runs (28), third in runs (144), fourth in hits (196) and fifth in RBI (120) and total bases (327).
• Nationally, the Illini rank in the top 21 in the NCAA in doubles per game (3rd, 1.95), scoring (15th, 6.86), home runs per game (18th, 1.33), slugging percentage (13th), batting average (18th) and on-base percentage (21st).
• Redshirt-seniors Annie Fleming and Carly Thomas, along with sophomore Bella Loya rank in the top 15 in the Big Ten in batting average with Fleming (.405) sitting fourth, Loya (.400) sitting in fifth and Thomas (.384) in eighth.
• The trio also rank in slugging percentage with Loya (.829) in third, Thomas (.699) sitting in eighth and Fleming (.649) ranking 11th.
• Loya ranks in the top 50 in the NCAA in 23rd in home runs per game (0.38), 32nd in home runs (8), 42nd in slugging percentage (.829) and 46th in RBI per game (1.10).
• Loya owns eight home runs on the season to rank third in the Big Ten.
• Thomas leads the Illini and the Big Ten and sits eighth nationally with 11 doubles on the season, while also ranking fourth in doubles per game (0.52) nationally.

SICKELS LEADING IN THE CIRCLE

• Freshman Sydney Sickels leads the Illini in the circle with a 2.87 ERA in 68.1 innings and ranks third in the Big Ten with 11 wins and is fourth with two saves on the season.

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.