Games 28: Illinois (20-7) vs. Eastern Illinois (10-22)
When & Where	March 26 2019 // 5 p.m. CT // Eichelberger Field // Urbana, Ill.
Game Coverage	Live Stats | Live Video: BTN Plus ($)
Full Game Notes	Illinois | Eastern Illinois
Statistics	Illinois | Eastern Illinois
Series History	Illinois leads, 17-3 // Last: W, 5-4; 4/25/2018; Urbana, Ill. // Streak Won 1
Tickets	FREE
Social Media	@IlliniSB  | #Illini  | Facebook  | @IlliniSB  | YouTube

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The Illinois softball team is set to wrap up its seven-game homestand at Eichelberger Field on Tuesday (March 26) with a midweek match-up against Eastern Illinois at 5 p.m. CT.

Following Tuesday's midweek clash with the Panthers, the Illini will next head to Lincoln, Neb., for their first Big Ten Conference road series at Nebraska on March 29-31.

ILLINI NOTES

• The 2019 season marks the 20th season for the Illinois softball program, with the Illini owning a 58.7 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 619-436-2 overall record, as well as a 197-171 mark in Big Ten Conference action.
• The Illini opened the Big Ten Conference schedule with a series win over No. 23 Wisconsin - taking two of three over the weekend at Eichelberger Field. After a slow start to the weekend that saw the Illini fall 15-6 on Friday, UI bounced back with a 2-0 shutout win on Saturday behind a strong outing in the circle from senior Taylor Edwards. The Illini then used a three-run seventh inning rally – capped by freshman Kailee Powell's walk-off single – to earn a 6-5 come-from-behind victory in Sunday's series finale.
• The Illini own an 18-6 record in nonconference action heading into Tuesday's contest and went 4-2 over the past week at Eichelberger Field. Illinois opened its 2019 home schedule with a 9-4 victory over IUPUI last Tuesday, before splitting a Wednesday doubleheader with Indiana State after falling in game one, 9-2, and rebounding for a 7-4 win in game two. 
• The second NCAA softball PRI was released on Monday (March 25), with the Illini holding steady at No. 20 - the same ranking as last week's season debut of the RPI. The Illini are the third-highest Big Ten team, sitting only behind No. 10 Minnesota and No. 15 Northwestern.

WISCONSIN SERIES STAT SHOUTOUTS

• Senior Kiana Sherlund led the Illini with a .600 average in last weekend's series with the Badgers, totalling six hits - including two doubles - as well as four runs, one RBI and one stolen base. She registered a .800 slugging percentage and a 1.000 fielding percentage with five putouts and two assists. 
• Sophomore Bella Loya paced the team with three RBI with three hits - including one double, while redshirt-seniors Carly Thomas and Annie Fleming and freshman Kailee Powell joined Loya with three hits as well.
• Thomas tallied a team-high four runs and four walks, with Fleming also notching four base-on-balls.
• Senior Taylor Edwards led the Illini in the circle with a 1-0 record and 2.03 ERA after giving up just three earned runs in 10.1 innings.
• Freshman Sydney Sickels earned her third save of the season in Saturday's shutout win as she entered in the top of the seventh and secured the final two outs of the game. She then picked up Sunday's series finale come-from-behind win after not allowing a hit and giving up only two walks and striking out one in 1.2 innings of relief action against the Badgers.

ILLINI AT THE PLATE

• As a team, the Illini pace the Big Ten Conference in batting average (.331), slugging percentage (.538), on-base percentage (.416), runs (176), doubles (52), home runs (32), while also ranking third in hits (250) and total bases (406) and fifth in RBI (145) and walks (97). 
• Nationally, the Illini rank in the top 30 in the NCAA in doubles per game (3rd, 1.93), batting average (16th), slugging percentage (18th), scoring (18th, 6.52), on-base percentage (18th) and home runs per game (28th, 1.19). 
• Redshirt-senior Carly Thomas leads the Illini, the Big Ten and sits second nationally with 14 doubles on the season, while also leading the NCAA in doubles per game (0.52) nationally.
• Sophomore Bella Loya owns nine home runs on the season to rank second in the Big Ten and 34th nationally and is 36th in the NCAA with 0.33 home runs per game.
• Loya also leads the Big Ten and is 37th in the NCAA with 71 total bases, while also ranking second in the league and 37th in the country with 1.11 RBI per game.
• Thomas ranks 14th in the NCAA in toughest to strikeout with just two Ks in 91 at-bats on the season.
• The Illini have four players - the most of any school - ranked in the top 15 in the Big Ten in batting average, with Flleming (.418) leading the way in third, Loya (.391) tied for fifth, Thomas (.385) in eighth and Sherlund (.374) in 12th.
• The trio also rank in slugging percentage with Loya (.772) in third, Thomas (.670) sitting in ninth and Fleming (.615) ranking 15th.

SICKELS LEADING IN THE CIRCLE

• Freshman Sydney Sickels leads the Illini in the circle with a 3.00 ERA in 79.1 innings and ranks tied for third in the Big Ten and is 23rd in the country with 12 wins and second in the league and 13th in the NCAA with three saves on the season.
• She also sits tied for ninth with 19 strikeouts looking, 10th in innings pitched and strikeouts (64) in 2019.

ILLINI STREAKS

• Redshirt-Senior Annie Fleming currently owns the longest Illini hitting streak at eight games, with sophomore Bella Loya holding a six-game hitting streak.
• Redshirt-senior Carly Thomas is riding a 12-game reached base streak and owned the longest hitting streak of the season for the Illini after she recorded at least one hit in the first 14 games of the season.