Tate: Illinois' diamond dandies worth look

Illinois's Kiana Sherlund (middle) makes a catch in the fifth inning. University of Illinois Softball vs Minnesota, Sunday, April 2, 2017 at Eichelberger Field. The Gopher defeated the Illini 4-0.Mama, don't let your babies grow up to play road games,

Let 'em pick grounders at Shorty's kept plot,

Best to reach classrooms and study a lot.

— Apologies to Willie, but one poem is permitted every 10 years.

In an otherwise pedestrian school year for Illini women's sports, Tyra Perry's softballers are on the move.

They're 28-10 and harboring NCAA dreams as they carry a 9-2 record at Shorty Eichelberger Field and a 7-2 Big Ten mark — both losses to Minnesota strikeout whiz Sara Groenewegen — to Michigan…