URBANA, Ill. — Illinois softball (14-33, 3-14 Big Ten), defeated Indiana State on Tuesday evening, 9-5, marking head Coach Tyra Perry's 300th win at the helm of the program. Megan Nuechterlein picked up the win in the circle, while freshman Brooke Stang was a perfect 2-for-2 at the plate. Eileen Donahue and Keirys Click each added one home run on the day.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Nuechterlein began the game by retiring the side in order. Skylar Brennan led off the game with a walk, and Adisyn Caryl followed behind with a base hit. A three-run blast from Donahue brought them all around to score, and Click followed up with a solo home run of her own, earning Illinois an early 4-0 lead.
After a scoreless second frame, the Sycamores responded in the third, with a pair of doubles from Morgan Goodrich and Madison Poulson bringing across a run. After Addie Burns was walked, a three-score home run from Claire Connelly evened up the contest at four runs.
An RBI single from Brennan got one back for Illinois in the fourth, and relief pitcher Danika Frazier went three up, three down in the fifth to quickly bring the Fighting Illini back up to bat.
An RBI double from Stang increased the lead to two, and the Orange and Blue plated three more runs in the sixth, aided by a pair of Indiana State errors, and base hits from Ellie Haggard and Ady Kiddy.
The Sycamores plated one run in the final inning but could not mount a comeback, and Illinois earned the 9-5 victory at Eichelberger Field.
POSTGAME NOTES
- Megan Nuechterlein earned the start in the circle, her tenth start of the year, and picked up her third win of the season.
- Nuechterlein notched three strikeouts and conceded four runs on five hits.
- Sophomore Danika Frazier entered in relief for the final three innings of work, picking up her first career save, and conceding just one unearned run on no hits.
- Brooke Stang was a perfect 2-for-2 at the plate along with two walks, her second multi-hit outing of the year, and third consecutive game with two walks.
- Eileen Donahue's lone hit of the day was a three-score home run, her 11th of the season.
- With the homer, she eclipses her home run total from 2025 (10).
- Donahue now owns nine multi-RBI games this year.
- Keirys Click's lone hit was a solo home run, her sixth this season.
- With the victory, head coach Tyra Perry has achieved 300 wins as the leader of the Illinois program. She achieved 700 wins for her entire coaching career earlier this season on February 21.
UP NEXT
Illinois welcomes Penn State to Eichelberger Field for its final home conference series, April 24-26. First pitch times are slated for 5 p.m. CT Friday, 1 p.m. CT Saturday, and noon CT on Sunday. Saturday's game will air nationally on Big Ten Network, while the other two games can be streamed on B1G+.
The Fighting Illini invite all fans to attend the 22nd World's Largest Softball Tailgate from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 25, outside the right field fence. There will be live music, food trucks, inflatables, and more at the event. Illinois' five seniors will also be celebrated on the program's Senior Day.
