Illini Host Purdue in B1G Regular Season Finale

Friday, May 3

Urbana, Ill.

5 p.m. CT

University of Illinois

Purdue

May 2, 2019 | Softball

World's Largest Softball Tailgate and Senior Day set for Saturday

Games 51-53: Illinois (28-22, 6-14 B1G) vs. Purdue (30-23, 6-14 B1G)
When & Where	May 3-5, 2019 // Friday: 5 p.m. CT \| Saturday: 1 p.m. CT \| Sunday: 12 p.m. CT // Eichelberger Field // Urbana, Ill.
Game Coverage	Live Stats \| Live Video: BTN Plus ($) \| Radio: WDWS 1400 (Saturday Only)
Full Game Notes	Illinois
Statistics	Illinois \| Purdue
Series History	Illinois leads, 26-16 // Last: W, 10-2 (6); 3/23/2018; West Lafayette, Ind. // Streak Won 2
Tickets	FREE ADMISSION
Parking	Parking Map + Information
Social Media	@IlliniSB \| #Illini \| Facebook \| @IlliniSB \| YouTube

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The Illinois softball team is set to host Purdue in its last Big Ten Conference-and regular season series on May 3-5 at Eichelberger Field. First pitch on Friday is set for 5 p.m. CT, 1 p.m. CT on Saturday and 2 p.m. CT on Sunday.

The Illini will host their annual World's Largest Softball Tailgate on Saturday prior to the game, before celebrating the 2019 senior class of Annie Fleming, Carly Thomas, Stephanie Abello, Danielle Brochu, Alexis Carrillo, Taylor Edwards, Emily Oestreich, Veronica Ruelius and Kiana Sherlund following the conclusion of the contest.

PROMOTIONS

FRIDAY: 7 Innings of Winning
Giveaways: Prizes will be raffled off between each inning, including a softball signed by the team, FitBit, Bluetooth Speaker, Ultimate Prize Pack, $25 Baxters Gift Card, Bluetooth Wireless Earbuds and a Flyin' Illini Bobblehead Set.

SATURDAY: World's Largest Softball Tailgate & Senior Day
Giveaway: Senior fan clappers for first 200 fans
Pre-game Tailgate: Tailgate beginning at 11 a.m. CT with music, inflatables, face painter, balloon artist, cotton candy and more!
Post-game: Senior Celebration

SUNDAY: EichelBURGER Day
Giveaway: Free burgers for the first 75 fans | Trading Card Set #4 for the first 100 fans
Concession Deal: Burgers will be sold at the concession stand only
Post-game: Run the Bases (Youth 6th grade and under) - Sign up here
Post-game: Autographs - Kailee Powell, Zaria Dunlap, Abby Sagert, Avrey Steiner, Sydney Sickels, Hannah Sasaki, Danielle Dennis, Danielle Davis

ILLINI NOTES

The Illini knocked three home runs en route to a 7-0 victory over DePaul in a rain-shortened contest that was called in the bottom of the fifth inning on Tuesday (April 30) afternoon at Eichelberger Field.
The 2019 season marks the 20th season for the Illinois softball program, with the Illini owning a 58.2 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 627-451-2 overall record.
The Illini own a 22-10 record in nonconference action and are 9-7 at Eichelberger Field. On the road, the Illini hold a 9-8 advantage on the road.
In the latest NCAA softball PRI that was released on Monday (April 29), the Illini came in the No. 50 spot.

DEPAUL STAT SHOUTOUTS

The Illini were paced at the dish by a 2-for-2 performance with two RBI and a run from redshirt-senior Carly Thomas, while classmate Annie Fleming also turned in two hits, two runs and an RBI.
The Illini knocked three homers against the Blue Demons, with sophomore Shelby Stauffenberg crushing her first career home run - a three-run dinger to left field - in the fourth inning, while Fleming started the scoring off with a solo shot in the the opening frame and Thomas added another two-run long ball in the fourth.
Senior Stephanie Abello registered her first triple of the season and third of her career to bring in a run in the fourth inning.
Senior Taylor Edwards earned the complete game shutout win after allowing just two hits and two walks and striking out five in five innings.

ILLINI CLEAN UP AT 2019 OKSEE AWARDS

The Illini softball team had a successful night at the Fighting Illini Oskee Awards Celebration on Monday (April 22) night, with senior Veronica Ruelius being named the Fighting Illini Spirit Award winner along with volleyball's Beth Prince.
Senior Stephanie Abello took home a couple of academic honors, earning the Outstanding Scholar-Athlete Award for the senior class with a 3.97 GPA in creative writing & Spanish and was the recipient of the Big Ten Postgraduate Scholarship.
Sophomore Bella Loya was named a Dike Eddleman Female Athlete of the Year finalist, while freshman Sydney Sickels was named a Female Freshman of the Year finalist.
Junior Akilah Mouzon was inducted into Chi Alpha Sigma, the National College Athlete Honor Society.
The Illini softball team as a whole once again received the Illini Life Skills Team Competition Award for its commitment to community service.

ILLINI AT THE PLATE

As a team, the Illini pace the Big Ten Conference in batting average (.314), hits (431), doubles (89) and total bases (702), while also ranking second in slugging percentage (.512), third in home runs (56) and runs (281) and fifth in on-base percentage (.390) and RBI (244).
Nationally, the Illini rank in the top 45 in the NCAA in doubles per game (sixth, 1.78), batting average (21st), slugging percentage (23rd), home runs per game (34th, 1.12) and scoring (42nd, 5.62).
Sophomore Bella Loya and redshirt-senior Carly Thomas rank 42nd in the nation with 109 total bases.
Senior Kiana Sherlund sits in 38th in the country with her team-leading 63 hits.
Loya and Sherlund lead the Illini in batting average in overall action and conference play, with Loya ranking sixth in overall (.401) and eighth in the Big Ten (.411), while Sherlund is ninth in overall (.371) and 13th in leagua play (.388).
Loya also ranks fourth in the conference in total bases (109) fifth in hits (61), sixth in slugging percentage (.717), eighth in on-base percentage (.480), seventh in RBI (46), ninth in home runs (12) and 13th in doubles (12).
The Illini have four players - the most of any school - ranked in the top 15 in the Big Ten in batting average, with Loya (.401) leading the way in sixth, Sherlund (.371) in ninth, Thomas (.367) in 12th and Fleming (.365) in 15th.
The quartet also ranks in the top 10 in the Big Ten in hits, with Sherlund leading in third with 63 knocks, Thomas just behind in fourth with 62 hits and Loya and Fleming tied for fifth with 61 hits.
Senior Veronica Ruelius leads the Illini and ranks tied for 12th in the Big Ten with five home runs in conference action.

THOMAS IS DOUBLE TROUBLE

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 67 in her Illini career.
Along with the career record, Thomas registered her 20th double of the season in the second game of the April 13th doubleheader at Iowa to break Lana Armstrong's program mark of 19 two-baggers set during the 2008 campaign.
Thomas leads the NCAA with her 23 two-baggers and is also second with 0.43 doubles per game.