CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The Illinois softball team next travels to St. Charles, Missouri, for its Braggin' Rights neutral-site doubleheader against Missouri on Tuesday (April 9) beginning at 2 p.m. CT at the Lou Brock Sports Complex on the campus of Lindenwood University.
Following Tuesday's midweek doubleheader, the Illini will head to Iowa City, Iowa, for a three-game Big Ten Conference series on April 12-14 at Bob Pearl Softball Field. First pitch is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. CT on Friday, 1 p.m., on Saturday and 12 p.m., on Sunday.
ILLINI NOTES
- The Illini are coming off a 1-2 weekend against No. 19 Minnesota at Eichelberger Field. After a 5-0 setback on Friday (April 5) night to open the series, Illinois had an action-packed doubleheader against the Gophers on Saturday (April 6) afternoon as sophomore Katie Wingerter knocked a two-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the eighth inning for the 4-3 extra-inning victory in game one, before falling in game two, 10-3.
- The 2019 season marks the 20th season for the Illinois softball program, with the Illini owning a 58.6 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 623-440-2 overall record.
- The Illini own a 20-6 record in nonconference action and are 6-2 at Eichelberger Field. On the road, the Illini hold a 7-2 advantage.
- The fourth NCAA softball PRI was released on Monday (April 8), with the Illini staying consistent in the No. 36 spot, after holding at No. 20 during the first two rankings. The Illini are the fifth-highest Big Ten team, sitting behind No. 8 Minnesota, No. 15 Michigan, No. 17 Northwestern and No. 35 Wisconsin.
WALK-OFF WINNERS
- The Illini have registered four walk-off wins in the last six games at Eichelberger Field, starting with freshman Kailee Powell's single for the 6-5 win over No. 23 Wisconsin on March 24.
- Redshirt-senior Carly Thomas then scored on a fielding error in the bottom of the eighth to lift the Illini to an 8-7 extra-inning victory over Eastern Illinois on March 26, before senior Kiana Sherlund's single on April 3 lifted the Illini to a 2-1 win over Illinois State.
- Sophomore Katie Wingerter then delivered the fourth walk-off win at home for the Illini with a two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth ining for a 4-3 extra-inning victory over No. 19 Minnesota on Saturday (April 6).
MINNESOTA SERIES STAT SHOUT OUTS
- Redshirt-senior Carly Thomas and sophomore Bella Loya led the Illini with a .375 batting average with three hits each.
- Thomas posted a team-high three RBI, with senior Kiana Sherlund turning in a team-high four hits, including a pair of doubles, and two runs.
- Freshman Sydney Sickels picked up the complete game victory in Saturday's game one after allowing three runs – only two earned – on six hits and two walks and struck out three in eight innings.
- Junior Akilah Mouzon registered a team-best 1.75 ERA in four innings and two appearances on the weekend.
RECORDS TO WATCH
- Senior Kiana Sherlund owns 12 career triples and is just two three-baggers away from tying Rachelle Coriddi's program record of 14 from 2003-06.
- Redshirt-senior Carly Thomas has totaled 18 doubles on the season and is just one two-bagger away from tying Lana Armstrong's program mark of 19 doubles during the 2008 campaign.
ILLINI AT THE PLATE
- As a team, the Illini pace the Big Ten Conference in batting average (.320), hits (316), doubles (67) and total bases (516), while also ranking second in slugging percentage (.522), on-base percentage (.398), third in home runs (41) and fourth in runs (210) and RBI (178).
- Nationally, the Illini rank in the top 32 in the NCAA in doubles per game (3rd, 1.91), batting average (20th), slugging percentage (22nd), home runs per game (26th, 1.17) and scoring (31st, 6.00).
- Sophomore Bella Loya ranks nationally in several offensive categories, including total bases (23rd, 93), slugging percentage (36th, .795), RBIs per game (37th, 1.09), home runs (40th, 11), home runs per game (43rd, 0,31), hits (44th, 48) and doubles per game (49th 0.34), while also ranking 76th in batting average (.410).
- Loya also ranks second in the Big Ten in batting average (.410) and hits (48), while also sitting in the top 10 in the conference in home runs (t-third, 11), slugging percentage (fourth, .795), RBI (fifth, 38), doubles (t-sixth, 12), total bases (seventh, 93) and on base percentage (t-15th, .457).
- The Illini have four players - the most of any school - ranked in the top 15 in the Big Ten in batting average, with Loya (.410) leading the way in second, redshirt-senior Annie Fleming (.385) in sixth, Sherlund (.382) tied for seventh and Thomas (.367) tied for 12th.
- The quartet also ranks in the top 15 in the Big Ten in hits, with Loya leading in second with 48 knocks, Sherlund in third with 47 hits, Fleming tied for sixth with 45 hits and Thomas in eighth with 44 hits.
SICKELS LEADING IN THE CIRCLE
- Freshman Sydney Sickels leads the Illini in the circle with a 3.11 ERA in 105.2 innings and ranks third in the Big Ten and is 15th in the country with 16 wins and second in the league and 25th in the NCAA with three saves on the season.
- Sickels also ranks in the top 15 in the Big Ten in appearances (27, t-fourth), games started (17, t-ninth), strikeouts looking (21, t-ninth), innings pitched (10th) and strikeouts (79, 11th).
ILLINI STREAKS
- Senior Kiana Sherlund currently owns the longest Illini hitting streak at 13 games, with sophomore Bella Loya leading the way with a 14-game reached base streak.
- Redshirt-senior Carly Thomas 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.
