Chambana Sun

Illinois softball is set to host Indiana State and Illinois State in midweek games at Eichelberger Field, Urbana. The first game against Indiana State will commence at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, followed by a match against Illinois State at the same time on Wednesday. Both games will be broadcasted on B1G+.

Stevie Meade remains a key player for Illinois, holding the single-season record for most sacrifice hits with 13 in 2022. She is one sac bunt away from becoming the program's all-time leader in this category.

The Fighting Illini have five players who have hit triples this season: Stevie Meade, Ava Moore, Zoie Howard, Alaina Miller, and Yazzy Avila. With eight triples so far, the team is tied for 11th most all-time in program history.

In their last outing, Illinois defeated Saint Louis 5-0 at home. Karley Yergler pitched a complete game shutout while Yazzy Avila led offensively with a home run and two RBIs.

Indiana State arrives with a 5-17 record after an unsuccessful performance in the EKU Round Robin. Last season they finished 20-30 overall. This year, freshman Brailey Mills has shown promise with a .324 batting average.

Illinois State holds a 6-17 record and aims to recover from recent losses in the Milisa Moore/Shane Lamb Tournament. The Redbirds were selected fourth in the MVC preseason poll and have several players recognized for their previous performances.

Illinois leads Indiana State 13-2 historically and has won four consecutive matches against them. Against Illinois State, Illinois holds a 16-9 advantage and has won seven of their last eight meetings.

The Illini introduced 13 newcomers this offseason, including notable transfers Lizzie Stiverson and Karley Yergler from Parkland College. Head coach Tyra Perry is among just three Black female head coaches leading programs in power conferences.

The team's roster features many young players with 17 underclassmen out of the total squad members. Five players received preseason recognition before the start of this season: Ava Moore was named to multiple watchlists while Ellie Haggard and London Park were also highlighted for their potential contributions.

Last year, Illinois ended with a record of 21-31 overall and placed twelfth in Big Ten play for the second consecutive year.