Saturday, March 30
Lincoln, Neb.
1 p.m. CT
University of Illinois
at
Nebraska
Illini Travel to Nebraska for First B1G Road Series
March 28, 2019 | Softball
| Games 29-31: Illinois (21-7, 2-1 B1G) at Nebraska (10-18, 0-3 B1G) | |
|---|---|
| When & Where | March 29-31, 2019 // Friday: 5:30 p.m. CT | Saturday: 1 p.m. | Sunday: 12 p.m. // Bowlin Stadium // Lincoln, Neb. |
| Game Coverage | Live Stats | TV (FRI ONLY): BTN | Live Video (SAT/SUN): BTN Plus ($) |
| Full Game Notes | Illinois | Nebraska |
| Statistics | Illinois | Nebraska |
| Series History |
Illinois trails, 9-13 // Last: L, 6-3; 5/6/2018; Urbana, Ill. // Streak Lost 1 |
| Tickets | BUY HERE |
| Social Media | @IlliniSB  | #Illini | Facebook  | @IlliniSB  | YouTube 
|
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Folllowing a seven-game homestand, the Illinois softball team heads to Lincoln, Neb., for its first Big Ten Conference road series of of the season at Nebraska on March 29-31. First pitch on Friday is slated for 5:30 p.m. CT, with Saturday at 1 p.m., and Sunday at 12 p.m.m, with the second and third games streamed on BTN Plus.
The Illini will then return to Eichelberger Field for four-straight home games at Eichelberger Field starting with a midweek contest against Illinois State on Wednesday (April 3) and a three-game conference series against No. 19/15/11 Minnesota on April 5-7.
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 620-436-2 overall record, as well as a 197-171 mark in Big Ten Conference action.
- In a back-and-forth midweek battle with Eastern Illinois, the Illinois softball team earned its second-straight walk-off winner as redshirt-senior Carly Thomas scored on a fielding error in the bottom of the eighth to lift the Illini to an 8-7 extra-inning victory on Tuesday (March 26) night at Eichelberger Field. It was the second-straight walk-off winner for the Illini, who also secured a win over No. 23 Wisconsin on Sunday with a walk-off single from Freshman Kailee Powell.
- The Illini opened the Big Ten Conference schedule with a series win over No. 23 Wisconsin last weekend - 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 a 19-6 record in nonconference action and went 5-2 during their seven-game homestand over the past 10 days at Eichelberger Field. Illinois opened its 2019 home schedule with a 9-4 victory over IUPUI last Tuesday (March 19), before splitting a Wednesday (March 20) 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.
EASTERN ILLINOIS STAT SHOUTOUTS
- Redshirt-senior Carly Thomas led the Illini against the Panthers with a 4-for-5 performance with three runs and one RBI, while senior Kiana Sherlund totaled three hits, an RBI and a run and redshirt-senior Annie Fleming added two RBI, one hit and one run.
- Freshman Sydney Sickels earned her 13th win of the season after entering in the seventh inning and allowing just one walk and striking out two in two shutout frames.
- Senior Emily Oestreich started and went six innings, giving up seven runs – only one earned – on seven hits and one walk and striking out two.
STREAKS
- Redshirt-Senior Annie Fleming currently owns the longest Illini hitting streak at nine games, with sophomore Bella Loya holding a seven-game hitting streak.
- Redshirt-senior Carly Thomas is riding a 13-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.
THOMAS LEADS NCAA, 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 60 in her Illini career.
- With 16 doubles on the season, Thomas lead the NCAA and is also first with 0.57 doubles per game.
- 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 (.331), slugging percentage (.534), on-base percentage (.414), runs (184), doubles (56), while also ranking second in hits (262) and home runs (32) third in RBI (152) and total bases (422).
- Nationally, the Illini rank in the top 30 in the NCAA in doubles per game (3rd, 2.00), batting average (16th), scoring (17th, 6.57), slugging percentage (18th), on-base percentage (20th) and home runs per game (29th, 1.14).
- Sophomore Bella Loya owns nine home runs on the season to rank second in the Big Ten and 34th nationally and is 42nd in the NCAA with 0.32 home runs per game.
- Loya also ranks second the Big Ten and is 33rd in the NCAA with 73 total bases, while also ranking second in the league and 38th in the country with 1.11 RBI per game.
- Thomas ranks 12th in the NCAA in toughest to strikeout with just two Ks in 96 at-bats on the season.
- The Illini have four players - the most of any school - ranked in the top 10 in the Big Ten in batting average, with Fleming (.411) leading the way in third, Thomas (.406) in fourth, Loya (.389) in eighth and Sherlund (.385) in 10th.
- Three Illini also rank in slugging percentage with Loya (.768) in third, Thomas (.678) sitting in 10th and Fleming (.600) ranking 15th.
SICKELS LEADING IN THE CIRCLE
- Freshman Sydney Sickels leads the Illini in the circle with a 2.93 ERA in 81.1 innings and ranks third in the Big Ten and is 13th in the country with 13 wins and second in the league and 13th in the NCAA with three saves on the season.
- She also sits tied for eighth with 20 strikeouts looking, 11th in innings pitched and strikeouts (66) in 2019.
Players Mentioned
P/UT
/ Softball
IF
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C
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P
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IF
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OF
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P
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OF
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