The Illinois softball team took its first two games of the UNLV Sportco Kick-Off Classic on Friday night, defeating host UNLV, 8-0, before grabbing a 3-2 victory over Cal State Bakersfield.

In the first game, the Illini shut down UNLV behind a complete team effort. Junior captain Danielle Zymkowitz paced the Illini, going 3-for-3 with two walks, while Monica Perry dominated the Rebels on the mound to improve to 1-0.

In the nightcap, junior Audrey Gallien hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth to lift the Illini to victory.

On Saturday, the Illini offense kicked back into gear, scoring a combined 22 runs in two UNLV Sportco Kick-Off Classic games in Las Vegas to improve to 4-0 this season. Illinois took down Loyola Marymount in an 8-0 rout in game one, while the offensive onslaught continued in game two with a 14-4 drubbing of Long Beach State. Senior Ashley Wright picked up the win in the opening game by way of three shutout innings, while Sophomore Monica Perry improved to 3-0 in her start against Long Beach State.