Chambana Sun

Illinois softball team secured a victory against Illinois State with a 3-1 win in a non-conference game at Eichlberger Field on Wednesday. This result improved the Fighting Illini's record to 12-9 for the season, while the Redbirds fell to 6-18.

Freshman pitcher London Park earned her first win, pitching five innings and allowing only one run on five hits. Megan Nuechterlein completed the final two innings, achieving her first save of the year.

Yazzy Avila led the offense with a 2-for-2 performance and an RBI. Adisyn Caryl and Paige Berkmeyer also contributed significantly, each hitting 2-for-3.

The Illini established an early lead with RBI singles from Ava Moore and Avila in the first inning. After scoreless third and fourth innings, Illinois State scored in the fifth, reducing their deficit to one run. However, Illinois responded in their half of the fifth inning as Caryl doubled off the wall and Berkmeyer hit an RBI single, extending their lead to 3-1.

Nuechterlein's effective pitching helped maintain this lead until the end of the game.

Looking ahead, Illinois will start Big Ten play with a home series against Wisconsin, beginning Friday at 5 p.m., available on B1G+.

Additional notes from the game include:

- Illinois wore anthracite jerseys, moving to a record of 3-1 when wearing them.

- Eileen Donahue extended her streak of reaching base to five games.

- Paige Berkmeyer also extended her reached base streak to five games.

- Nuechterlein's save was Illinois' second save of the season.

- The Illini limited Illinois State hitters to just .182 with runners in scoring position.

- Four players from Illinois had multiple hits during the game.

- The Fighting Illini out-hit their opponents by a margin of 12 to 5.

- They achieved a .400 average with runners in scoring position.

- The overall record between these teams now stands at 17 wins for Illinois and nine for Illinois State.