ILLINI FACE SAINT LOUIS IN MIDWEEK MATCHUP
After opening the Big Ten schedule this past weekend splitting a pair of games with Purdue, the Fighting Illini softball team sets their sights on the first of two scheduled midweek games this week. Illinois will head to Saint Louis to take on the Billikens on Tuesday, Mar. 29 at 6:30 p.m. CT.
PURDUE RECAP
Illinois split their opening B1G series with Purdue, dropping a 3-5 decision on Friday while defeating the Boilermakers 9-4 on Sunday after the weekend's schedule was altered and the rubber match of the series was canceled due to inclement weather. Senior Avrey Steiner had a productive weekend, going 5-for-8 on the weekend with four RBI, while freshman Stevie Meade improved her hitting streak to eight.
SCOUTING SAINT LOUIS
The Billikens of the Atlantic-10 conference sit at 11-14 overall, and a 3-2 mark in conference play following a series win over UMass this previous weekend. Saint Louis is 8-3 in its last 11 games after beginning the season 3-11, and is led at the plate by Gabbie Kowalik, who leads the team in average (.410) and RBI (18). In the circle, Chloe Wendling leads the team in ERA (2.83) over 94.0 innings pitched, striking out 58 batters in that span.Â
ILLINI IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
Team
Batting Average: .306 (2nd B1G, 43rd NCAA)
Doubles: 49 (1st B1G, 7th NCAA)
Doubles per game: 2.04 (1st B1G, 3rd NCAA)
Slugging Percentage: .461 (4th B1G, 63rd NCAA)
Individual
Kailee Powell: 9 doubles (4th B1G, 30th NCAA), 0.38 doubles per game (4th B1G, 35th NCAA)
Megan Ward: 10 doubles (3rd B1G, 1th NCAA), 0.42 doubles per game (3rd B1G, 15th NCAA)
Tori McQueen: 6.40 strikeout-to-walk ratio (4th B1G, 42nd NCAA), 10.0 strikeouts per seven (5th B1G, 36th NCAA)
Bella Loya: 34.5 Toughest to Strike out (1st B1G, 22nd NCAA)
PERRY EARNS 600TH CAREER WIN
With Sunday's win over Liberty, head coach Tyra Perry earned her 600th career win as a head coach. In her 21 seasons as a head coach, Perry amassed 146 wins at Birmingham-Souther from 2002-07, 196 wins at Western Kentucky from 2008-13, 67 wins at Ball State from 2014-15, and 191 wins and counting at Illinois from 2016-Present.
2022 OUTLOOK
Illinois returns 18 letter winners and seven position starters to the 2022 roster, and welcomed eight new members of the Illini family this season. All-B1G honorees Kailee Powell, Delaney Rummell, Avrey Steiner, and Jaelyn Vickery also return to the diamond for the Illini this season.
2021 IN REVIEW
• The Illinois softball team completed the season with a 24-20 record in the B1G conference-only schedule.
• Illinois started the season with two weekends in Leesburg, Fla., posting a 10-2 record with series victories over Rutgers, Michigan State, Penn State, and a doubleheader sweep over No. 17 Michigan.
• The Illini earned seven series wins in 2021, including two wins over ranked opponents, and were the only team to not be beaten by the eventual Big Ten champions (Michigan).
• Junior Sydney Sickels tossed the 14th no-hitter in Illinois softball history in the second game of a doubleheader vs. Penn State on Mar. 13, 2021.
• Illinois ranked top three in the Big Ten in batting average (.276) and hits (324).
• Juniors Kailee Powell (First, All-Defensive), Avrey Steiner (Second), Freshman Jaelyn Vickery (Second, All-Freshman), and Sophomore Delaney Rummell (Second) earn All-Big Ten honors.
• Junior Avery Steiner was named to the NFCA Midwest All-Region First Team.
2022 SCHEDULE
After the Big Ten conference-only schedule in 2021, the Illini return to nonconference play this season, squaring off with high quality competition as is tradition under head coach Tyra Perry. Illinois will play 12 opponents who made the 2021 NCAA Tournament (LSU, South Alabama, Wichita St., Arkansas, Liberty, Clemson, Missouri, Georgia, SIUE, Minnesota, Northwestern, Louisiana-Lafyette) and 10 opponents who are ranked or recieving votes in the preseason USA Today/NFCA Coaches poll. The Big Ten slate begins with a trip to Purdue on Mar. 25-27, while the Illini will also play host to the Braggin' Rights double-header vs. Missouri on Mar. 15, which doubles as the home opener at Eichelberger Field.
ILLINI IN THE RECORD BOOK
Heading into the 2022 campaign, several Illini rank in the top-10 in program history in multiple statistical categories, with a chance to climb up the all-time list this season.
• Graduate Student Bella Loya currently ranks eighth on the all-time batting average list with a career .335 average, while also ranking sixth in slugging percentage (.574) and tenth in on base percentage (.406). She also ranks tenth all-time in home runs (28) and RBIs (117). She also has the sixth highest fielding percentage in Illini history (.989) and ranks eighth in putouts (598).
• Senior Sydney Sickels currently ranks fourth all-time in ERA (2.80), third in opponent batting average (.230), and ranks first in K/7 (6.77). Sickels is also first all-time in saves (13), seventh in wins (38), eighth in appearances (89), seventh in games started (63), tied for fifth in complete games (33), tied for fifth in shutouts (9), seventh in innings pitched (387.2), and fifth in strikeouts (375).
• Senior Kailee Powell currently ranks fourth all-time in fielding percentage (.990).
NEWCOMERS
Illinois welcomes eight newcomers to the 2022 roster, including freshmen Zoe Caryl, Halle Mangurten, Stevie Meade, Macy Krohman, Paige Berkmeyer, Lauren Wiles, and Zoie Howard, while also welcoming in Dayton transfer Megan Ward,
LOOKING AHEAD
Illinois will wrap up their non-conference tournament schedule next weekend, heading to Athens, Georgia for the UGA Classic, but not before the 2022 home opener hosting Missouri for a double header on Mar. 15.
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