University of Illinois
Western Illinois
Illini Begin Homestand Hosting Western Illinois
May 3, 2022 | Softball
Preview
| Illinois (32-17, 14-5 B1G) vs. Western Illinois (8-33, 4-14 Summit League) | |
|---|---|
| When & Where |
Wednesday, May 4 // Urbana, Ill. // Eichelberger Field |
| Tickets | FREE ADMISSION |
| Game 50: Western Illinois | Wednesday, May 4 // 5:00 p.m. CT Live Stats // Live Video: B1G+ ($) |
| Team Information | Illinois // Western Illinois |
| 2022 Season Stats | Illinois // Western Illinois |
| Social Media | @IlliniSB  | #Illini | @IlliniSB  | Facebook  | YouTube  |
ILLINI BEGIN FINAL HOMESTAND OF REGULAR SEASON HOSTING WESTERN ILLINOIS
The Fighting Illini softball team is set to conclude the regular season with a four-game homestand this week at Eichelberger Field, beginning by hosting Western Illinois on Wednesday, May 4 for a 5:00 p.m. CT. The game will be streamed live on B1G+ and fans can follow the game live on the radio, with Scott Beatty on the call on WDWS 1400-AM. The team will celebrate their favorite University of Illinois professors on Wednesday night, naming their "Most Valuable Professors."
ILLINI WIN FIFTH-STRAIGHT CONFERENCE SERIES AT INDIANA
Illinois won their fifth-straight weekend series against Indiana, winning the first two games of the series before dropping an 11-inning heartbreaker in the series finale.
The Illini have a 5-0-2 record in Big Ten series this season, with series victories over Minnesota, Wisconsin, Rutgers, Iowa, and now Indiana, while splitting series with Purdue and Northwestern.
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 WESTERN ILLINOIS
The Leathernecks head into the midweek matchup with an 8-33 overall record, and a 4-14 mark in Summit League play. The Illini faced off against Western Illinois earlier this season at the Razorback Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark. with the Illini pulling off a 7-0 victory in a game where Sydney Sickels tossed her second-career no-hitter, striking out a school record 16 batters and was one error away from the first perfect game in Illini history. For Western Illinois, Ami Ill leads the team with a .311 batting average while Georgia Rea has knocked in 14 RBI and five home runs, both leading the team. In the circle, Abby Carlin has a 3.55 ERA over 121.2 innings this season, striking out 115 batters.
SICKELS NEARING ALL-TIME STRIKEOUTS RECORD
With 543 career strikeouts, senior Sydney Sickels now ranks second all-time in Illinois history in strikeouts and is nearing the all-time record of 592 set by Pepper Gay from 2010-13. She is just 49 strikeouts away from that mark.
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.
PERRY EARNS 200TH CAREER WIN AS FIGHTING 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,
FOLLOW THE #ILLINI
For the latest news and information on Fighting Illini softball, follow @IlliniSB on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, and tune in to fightingillini.com.
