Chambana Sun

Illinois secured a victory against CSU Bakersfield with an 8-2 win in their season opener at the UCF Softball Complex on Friday. Lauren Wiles started for Illinois, allowing four runs on four hits and achieving four strikeouts. Karley Yergler made her debut, pitching two innings and striking out three batters. Danika Frazier concluded the game with two strikeouts in one inning.

Alaina Miller led the offensive efforts for Illinois, going 2-for-4 with a triple and two RBIs. Eileen Donahue also had a notable performance, going 2-for-3 with a walk and two RBIs.

The game began with Illinois trailing CSU Bakersfield 2-0 due to three errors in the first inning. The Fighting Illini tied the game with a triple from Miller and took the lead after Stevie Meade's sacrifice bunt scored another run.

In the fifth inning, Donahue hit a two-RBI single up the middle, followed by Ella Cushing's RBI single in her first collegiate at-bat, extending Illinois' lead to 8-2. Frazier secured the final outs of the game to seal the victory.

Next, Illinois will face No. 12/14 Georgia at 6 p.m. CT, with coverage available on ESPN+.

Key notes from the game include Alaina Miller recording Illinois' first hit of the season and Stevie Meade achieving her 29th career sacrifice hit. Several players made their debuts for Illinois, including Danika Frazier, Karley Yergler, Ella Cushing, Jackie Yeager, and Ava Moore. The team out-hit CSU Bakersfield 7-2 and performed well with runners in scoring position.