| Games 40-42 |
vs. No. 8/10 UCLA | Eichelberger Field, Urbana, Ill. |
| Game Schedule (CT): |
- Friday, April 10 | 5PM CT
- Saturday, April 11 | 1PM CT
- Sunday, April 12 | Noon CT
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| Game Promotions: |
All Weekend: Spring Sports Fest
Spring Sports Fest is back! The Fighting Illini will be competing in 11 events across four sports April 9-12. Stop by the marketing table at any sport to receive a 2026 Illini Spring Sports Fest punch card. If you attend a receive a card punch from at least one event for each sport, you will be entered for a chance to win 2026 Illinois Football Season Tickets.
- Friday, April 10 | 5PM | Breast Cancer Awareness (Wear pink)
- The first 100 fans at Friday's game can pick up a pink Illinois Softball hat
- FamILLy Friday: Purchase four hot dogs, four popcorns and four soft drinks for just $40 at concessions!
- Saturday, April 11 | 1PM | Strikeout Cancer Game
- Sunday, April 12 | 12PM | Pediatric Cancer Awareness (Gold Game)
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| Television: |
Friday | Saturday | Sunday (B1G+) |
| Live Stats: |
Friday | Saturday | Sunday (StatBroadcast) |
| Social Media: |
Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube |
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois softball (11-28, 2-9 Big Ten) is set to host No. 8/10 UCLA for a three-game conference series at Eichelberger Field, April 10-12. First pitch times are slated for 5 p.m. CT Friday, 1 p.m. CT Saturday, and noon CT on Sunday. All three games can be streamed on B1G+.
LAST TIME OUT
Illinois defeated Western Illinois in a five-inning outing, 8-0, on Tuesday evening, marking its second consecutive win and first of the season at Eichelberger Field. Megan Nuechterlein picked up the victory in the circle, throwing her first complete game of the season, after also earning a win over Michigan State on Friday, April 3. Against the Leathernecks, Ellie Haggard and Brooke Stang both went 2-for-3 at the plate, with Stang notching the walk-off hit in the fifth inning. Haggard's two-run homer in the victory was her ninth of the season, which leads the team.
NEW FACES IN THE CROWD
Tuesday marked the second time this season that both Brooke Stang and Ady Kiddy, Illinois' pair of true freshmen, were in the starting lineup at the same time, with the last occurrence coming on March 8 at Louisville. In both outings, both Kiddy and Stang recorded at least one hit each. Against the Leathernecks, Stang posted the first multi-hit outing, first pair of RBI, and first extra-base hit of her collegiate career, driving in Porter and Kiddy to walk-off the game in the fifth inning.
Taylor Porter also made her second start of the season and seventh of her career on Tuesday evening, going 1-for-2 at the plate.
BRENNAN BULLETIN
A junior college transfer, Skylar Brennan has made her presence felt in her first season at Illinois, leading the team in batting average (.351), hits (40), and doubles (8). The outfielder also leads the squad in multi-hit games, owning 11.
MOORE MATERIAL
Shortstop Ava Moore is one of two Illinois players to start every game this season at the same position, alongside Adisyn Caryl at third base. Moore owns nine sacrifice hits this year, which is tied for first in the Big Ten conference, and tied for eighth in in program history, alongside Sarah Bryers, who tallied nine sacrifice hits in 2007.
IN THE CIRCLE
Megan Nuechterlein has led Illinois to victory in its last two outings, also her first pair of victories on the year, lowering her season ERA to 5.66. Senior Karley Yergler continues to own a staff-best, 4.55 ERA, 1.63 WHIP, and 47 strikeouts in 23 appearances.
MILESTONE MARKS
Head coach Tyra Perry achieved her 700th career win as a head coach, over Providence on Saturday, February 21, in Raleigh, N.C. Perry is also just three wins away from 300 victories at the helm of Illinois, which she could achieve as early as April 12 against UCLA.
OPPONENT SCOUT
UCLA is 34-5 overall and 13-2 in Big Ten play, sweeping Indiana over the weekend, before narrowly defeating Cal State Fullerton on Tuesday night, 13-11. The Bruins lead the conference in nearly every offensive category, including hits (392), runs (413), home runs (116), and batting average (.379). 43 of the squad's home runs have come in conference play alone.
UCLA has nine players hitting above .300 and five hitting above .400, led by Jordan Woolery with a .509 batting average. Woolery has started all 39 games for the Bruins in the infield, owning a team-best 59 hits and 79 RBI. Woolery also owns 21 home runs, second in the conference behind teammate Megan Grant, who has notched 26. Their home run numbers rank second and third in the nation, after Kendall Wells of Oklahoma. Grant's OPS (2.035), slugging percentage (1.368) and on base percentage (.667) all lead the team.
In the circle, senior Taylor Tinsley has pitched 118.1 innings and made 16 starts, with a staff-best 2.60 ERA and 1.34 WHIP. Tinsley has registered 99 strikeouts, five shutouts, and 13 complete games.
SERIES HISTORY
The Fighting Illini have faced the Bruins just four times in program history. The first meeting between the teams was a 6-2 Illinois win against No. 6 UCLA, at the Louisville Slugger Desert Classic in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Bruins have emerged victorious in the other three meetings, all of which occurred in California, including a 2024 victory, 10-2, at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic.
The weekend series will be the first set of conference contests between Illinois and UCLA, and the first time the two programs will meet in the state of Illinois.
UP NEXT
Illinois finishes its five-game homestand on Wednesday, April 15, against SEMO. First pitch is set for 4 p.m. CT, and the game can be streamed on B1G+. As part of First Responders Night, local first responders will participate in a home run derby following the game.
