CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois softball (8-20, 0-3 Big Ten) is set to host Northwestern for its second Big Ten series, and second home series at Eichelberger Field. Friday's game is slated for 5 p.m., Saturday at 1 p.m., and Sunday's series finale at noon. All three games can be streamed on B1G+.
LAST TIME OUT
Illinois fell in a pair of games to SEC opponent Missouri on Wednesday, 3-0, and 9-4. In game two against the Tigers, Eileen Donahue went two-for-three at the plate, driving in four RBI, while Ella Cushing notched a base hit as a pinch hitter, her fourth hit this season.
MOORE MILESTONES
With her ninth sacrifice hit of the season in game one against Missouri, sophomore Ava Moore now moves into a tie for eighth on the single-season sacrifice hits list at Illinois, alongside Sarah Bryers. Bryers recorded nine sacrifice hits in 2007. As of March 19, Moore leads the conference and ranks sixth in the country in sacrifice hits.
DONAHUE DINGERS
Eileen Donahue has put her power on display, earning four home runs in Illinois' last five games. She is now the only Illini with two or more multi-homer games this season, and owns the best OPS (.999) and slugging percentage (.647) on the squad. She sits second on the team with five home runs, behind Ellie Haggard, at seven.
IN THE CIRCLE
Danika Frazier saw a strong relief outing in game two against the Tigers, pitching three innings and conceding just one earned run, along with three strikeouts. Senior Karley Yergler has hurled 24.2 innings in the Illini's last five contests including three complete games.Yergler holds a staff-best 3.98 ERA, along with 38 strikeouts.
CONSISTENT CARYL
Adisyn Caryl continues to lead Illinois at the plate, with team-bests in batting average (.357), runs (15), hits (31), and walks (12). In game one against Iowa, she notched her ninth multi-hit outing of the year, also a team best.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
Northwestern sits at 12-14 overall and 0-3 in Big Ten play, after being swept by No. 22 Washington in its first conference series. Ten of the Wildcats' 14 losses have come to ranked squads, including No. 1 Texas Tech, No. 8 Texas A&M, and No. 17 Georgia at the Shriners Children's Clearwater Invitational.
Junior Emma Raye has excelled for the Wildcats at the plate, leading the team in batting average (.357), OPS (1.161), home runs (6), and slugging percentage (.714). In the Cats' most recent victory over Northern Iowa, she added two hits, including a home run, and drove in five RBI. In her first year, Marina Mason is leading the way for Northwestern in the circle, notching a 2.77 ERA, 62 strikeouts, and four complete games in 14 appearances.
SERIES HISTORY
Northwestern holds the all-time series, 38-17, dating back to the first meeting on April 13, 2001, a 4-2 victory for Illinois at home. Illinois' most recent victory was a 2-1 road win in Evanston, Ill, on April 6, 2024.
MILESTONE MARKS
Head coach Tyra Perry recently achieved her 700th career win as a head coach, over Providence on Saturday, February 21, in Raleigh, N.C. Perry is also just six wins away from 300 victories at the helm of Illinois, which she could achieve as early as March 28 against Minnesota.
UP NEXT
Illinois rounds out its initial homestand on Tuesday, March 24, when it hosts Northern Iowa at 5 p.m. CT. Streaming will be available on B1G+.
