CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Illinois softball team heads back to the Sleepy Hallow Sports Complex in Leesburg, Florida for the second weekend of Big Ten competition. The Illini will play three-game series against Michigan State and Penn State for a total of six games over the course of four days beginning on Thursday, March 11. All of the action will be live streamed on BTN+, or follow along with live updates on Twitter @IlliniSB.
| Illinois vs. Michigan State // Penn State |
| Where & When |
Leesburg, Fla. | Sleepy Hallow Sports Complex | March 11-14 |
| Game 1: Michigan State |
Thursday, March 11 | 3:30 p.m. CT
Live Video |
| Game 2: Michigan State |
Thursday, March 11 | 6:15 p.m. CT
Live Video |
| Game 3: Michigan State |
Friday, March 12 | 1 p.m. CT
Live Video |
| Game 4: Penn State |
Saturday, March 12 | 9:20 a.m. CT
Live Video |
| Game 5: Penn State |
Saturday, March 13 | 11:50 a.m. CT
Live Video |
| Game 6: Penn State |
Sunday, March 13 | 8:20 a.m. CT
Live Video |
| Social Media |
@IlliniSB  | #Illini | Facebook  | @IlliniSB  | YouTube  |
NOTES
- The Illini head back to Leesburg, Florida for a pair of three-game series against Michigan State and Penn State. All 14 Big Ten teams will be traveling back to Leesburg this weekend as part of the 2021 conference-only schedule.
- Illinois started the season 5-1, sweeping Rutgers in a two-game series, splitting a doubleheader with Maryland, and sweeping No. 17 Michigan in a two-game series to finish the first weekend in Leesburg, Fla. on February 26-28.
- The Illini are 5-1, marking the best start to a season since 2017.
- Excluding the shortened 2020 season, the Illini have reached at least 33 wins in each of head coach Tyra Perry's first five seasons. This marks just the second time in program history that the Illini have registered a four-year span with at least 33 wins in each season after notching wins of 49, 34, 39 and 45, respectively, from 2001-04.
- The Illini return 18 members from the 2020 squad, including eight starters and four pitchers. Illinois welcomes two graduate transfers in Kelsie Packard and Lakyn Wagoner, as well as four freshmen in Jesse Damery, Tori McQueen, Abby Ryniec, and Breana Shorter.
- As a team, the Illini are hitting .304 while holding opponents to just a .226 batting average.
- Illini second baseman Avrey Steiner leads the Illini with a .500 batting average through the first six games of the season. In 22 at bats, Steiner has tallied 11 hits, two extra base hits, six RBI's, and 14 total bases. She is also second on the team in slugging percentage at .636, trailing only Kailee Powell (.684).
- Avrey Steiner leads the Big Ten conference in hits with 11 and is tied for third in runs (6) and RBI's (6).
- Junior pitcher Sydney Sickels has thrown a team-high 16.2 innings, striking out 23 and giving up just one earned run. Sickels started two games for the Illini during the first weekend in Florida while appearing in four and notching her first save of the season against Michigan (2/28).
- Junior Kailee Powell has five hits, eight runs scored, and four RBI's through the first six games. In 19 at bats, Powell has a .421 batting average and a team-high .684 slugging percentage.
- Kailee Powell and Avrey Steiner share a team-high .522 on base percentage.
UP NEXT
The Illini are off again next weekend before hosting Minnesota for the season home-opener at Eichelberger Field on Friday, March 26.
