Illinois (19-13, 3-2 B1G) vs. Wisconsin (20-8, 5-1 B1G)
When & Where	April 9-10 // Eichelberger Field // Urbana, Ill.
Tickets	FREE ADMISSION
Game 33: Wisconsin	Saturday, April 9 // 1:00 p.m. CT Live Stats // Live Video: B1G+
Game 34: Wisconsin	Saturday, April 9 // Approx. 3:30 p.m. CT Live Stats // Live Video: B1G+
Game 35: Wisconsin	Sunday, April 10 // 12:00 p.m. CT Live Stats // Live Video: B1G+
Illinois Notes	G33-35: Wisconsin
Team Information	Illinois // Wisconsin
2022 Season Stats	Illinois // Wisconsin
Social Media	@IlliniSB  | #Illini | @IlliniSB  | Facebook | YouTube

ILLINI OPEN HOME B1G COMPETITION HOSTING WISCONSIN

Entering the weekend winners of six of their last seven games, the Fighting Illini softball team is set to open home B1G play this weekend hosting the Wisconsin Badgers on Saturday (April 9) for a doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m. CT, and the series finale occuring Sunday (April 10) at 12:00 p.m. CT. Games this weekend can be streamed live on B1G+.

PAIR OF RUN-RULES HIGHLIGHT MIDWEEK VICTORIES OVER SIUE, ISU

Illinois began the week with a pair of run-rule victories over in-state opponents. Illinois made quick work of SIUE on Tuesday evening, using a six-run first inning and a two-run home run from Kelly Ryono to down the Cougars 8-0 in five innings. Illinois then traveled an hour north to their in-state rival Illinois State, and after a slow first three innings Illinois went on to score six in the fourth and five in the sixth to secure a run-rule victory over the Redbirds in six innings. 

SCOUTING WISCONSIN

The Badgers are receiving votes in both the NFCA/USA TODAY Coach's poll and the ESPN/USA Softball polls, and sit in a tie for second place with a 5-1 mark in B1G play. Ally Miklesh (.409 BA) and Kayla Konwent (six HR, 21 RBI) both lead the Badgers at the plate, with seven Wisconsin hitters sitting in double-digit RBI marks this season. Maddie Schwartz (2.41 ERA in 98.2 IP) and Ava Justman (3.58 ERA in 58.2 IP) have handled the majority of pitching duties in the circle for the Badgers.

RED-HOT BATS

The bats have been the game-changer for the Illini in the current three-game winning streak, notching 35 hits over that span, including eight doubles and 34 runs scored. Freshman Paige Berkmeyer has been especially hot, going 4-for-4 with four RBI vs. Illinois State and notching 10 RBI during the three-game winning streak.

SICKELS MOVES TO SECOND ON ALL-TIME STRIKEOUTS LIST

With 472 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. 

ILLINI IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS

(Rankings as of Friday, April 8)

Team

Batting Average: .322 (1st B1G, 19th NCAA)

Doubles: 64 (1st B1G, 5th NCAA)

Doubles per game: 2.0 (1st B1G, 3rd NCAA)

Slugging Percentage: .464 (4th B1G, 56th NCAA)

Individual

Megan Ward: 13 doubles (3rd B1G, 6th NCAA), 0.41 doubles per game (3rd B1G, 12th NCAA)

Avrey Steiner: 46 hits (2nd B1G, 28th NCAA)

Tori McQueen: 5.87 strikeout-to-walk ratio (3rd B1G, 40th NCAA), 9.7 strikeouts per seven (4th B1G, 41st NCAA)

Bella Loya: 30.3 Toughest to Strike out (1st B1G, 14th 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,

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