Illinois (30-16, 12-4 B1G) at Indiana (25-17, 8-9 B1G)
When & Where	April 29-May 1 // Andy Mohr Field // Bloomington, Ind.
Tickets	FREE ADMISSION
Game 47: Indiana	Friday, April 29 // 12:00 p.m. CT Live Stats // Live Video: B1G+
Game 48: Indiana	Saturday, April 30 // 11:00 a.m. CT Live Stats // Live Video: B1G+
Game 49: Indiana	Sunday, May 1 // 12:00 p.m. CT Live Stats // Live Video: B1G+
Team Information	Illinois // Indiana
2022 Season Stats	Illinois // Indiana
Social Media	@IlliniSB  | #Illini | @IlliniSB  | Facebook | YouTube

ILLINI HIT THE ROAD FOR THREE-GAME SET AT INDIANA

Heading to their final road series of the season and their penultimate Big Ten opponent in the regular season, the Fighting Illini softball team is set for a trio of games in Bloomington, Ind. over the weekend against the Indiana Hoosiers. All three games will be streamed live on B1G+, and fans can also follow the games via Statbroadcast.

MCQUEEN TOSSES GEM, ILLINI DOWN DEPAUL

In their final road midweek game of the season, the Fighting Illini softball team was powered by 11 hits and a one-hitter from Tori McQueen to down DePaul 6-1 Wednesday afternoon at Cacciatore Stadium.

Sophomore left-hander Tori McQueen was nearly un-hittable Wednesday afternoon, tossing her sixth complete game of the season allowing just one hit, a solo home run with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, and two walks while striking out eight batters. At the plate, senior Avrey Steiner and redshirt junior Danielle Davis both had a 2-for-3 day with an RBI, while sophomore Megan Ward notched two RBI on a single. Graduate student Bella Loya and senior Kailee Powell also notched RBI in the game.

SCOUTING INDIANA

The Hoosiers enter the weekend with a 25-17 overall record, and an 8-9 mark in Big Ten play this season. Coming off of a Tuesday doubleheader sweep of in-state rival Purdue, the Hoosiers sit in ninth place in the conference. At the plate, Cora Basset leads the team with a .435 batting average (leads the Big Ten) and 57 hits, good for third in the conference. Basset has also knocked in 34 RBI in the season, and has launched a team-leading 13 home runs. In the circle, Heather Johnson has tossed 111.2 innings this season to the tune of a 4.51 ERA, tossing four complete games while striking out 75 batters. Macy Montgomery leads in ERA with a 4.23 and 80 strikeouts, also leading the team.

ILLINI ECLIPSE 30 WIN MARK

With their midweek victory over DePaul, Illinois eclipsed the 30 win mark for the fifth time under head coach Tyra Perry. Illinois did not reach 30 in only two seasons, the COVID canceled 2020 season and the shortened Big Ten only schedule in 2021. It is the 12th time in program history that an Illinois softball team has reached 30+ wins. 

ILLINI PITCHING STAFF BREAKS SINGLE-SEASON STRIKEOUTS RECORD

The Illini pitching staff has tossed 330+ strikeouts this season, and have surpassed the previous season record for strikeouts. The record of 330 was set back in 2001. 

BIG TEN RACE HEATING UP

Heading into the final two weeks of the regular season, the Illini boast a 12-4 record in Big Ten conference play. They sit in third place currently, just behind Nebraska (14-2) in second place and Northwestern (15-2) in first place. Illinois is set for a three-game set at Indiana (8-9 B1G, T-9th) this weekend, while Nebraska travels to Ohio State (8-7 B1G, 8th) and Northwestern hosts Iowa (2-15, T-13th). 

ILLINI IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS

(Rankings as of Thursday, April 21)

NCAA RPI: 32

Team

Batting Average: .318 (2nd B1G, 19th NCAA)

Doubles: 86 (1st B1G, 3rd NCAA)

Doubles per game: 1.87 (1st B1G, 4th NCAA)

Slugging Percentage: .462 (6th B1G, 57th NCAA)

Scoring: 5.28 (5th B1G, 69th NCAA)

Shutouts: 10 (4th B1G, 39th NCAA)

Strikeout-to-Walk Ratio: 3.65 (3rd B1G, 26th NCAA)

ERA: 2.61 (4th B1G, 46th NCAA)

Individual

Megan Ward: 16 doubles (3rd B1G, 9th NCAA), 0.35 doubles per game (3rd B1G, 23rd NCAA)

Kailee Powell: 14 doubles (5th B1G, 25th NCAA), 0.30 doubles per game (5th B1G, 60th NCAA)

Avrey Steiner: 60 hits (2nd B1G, 20th NCAA)

Tori McQueen: 5.95 strikeout-to-walk ratio (2nd B1G, 25th NCAA), 8.5 strikeouts per seven (6th B1G, 73rd NCAA)

Sydney Sickels: 9.5 strikeouts per seven (3rd B1G, 36th NCAA), 149 strikeouts (7th B1G, 56th NCAA)

Bella Loya: 31.2 Toughest to Strike out (1st B1G, 8th NCAA)

SICKELS MOVES TO SECOND ON ALL-TIME STRIKEOUTS LIST

With 507 career strikeouts, senior Sydney Sickels now ranks second all-time in Illinois history in strikeouts, passing Amanda Fortune's 470 strikeouts set from 2001-04. She entered the year third on the all-time list and is chasing Illinois' all-time strikeouts leader Pepper Gay with 592 from 2010-13.

PERRY EARNS 200TH WIN AS ILLINI HEAD COACH

In Illinois' game one victory over Wisconsin last Saturday (April 9), head coach Tyra Perry earned her 200th win as head coach of the Fighting Illini. This is the second wins milestone coach Perry has passed this season, after gaining her 600th career win over Liberty in March.

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 seven newcomers to the 2022 roster, including freshmen Zoe Caryl, Stevie Meade, Macy Krohman, Paige Berkmeyer, Lauren Wiles, and Zoie Howard, while also welcoming in Dayton transfer Megan Ward,

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