After an unexpected week off, the Illini get back to action playing Minnesota and Wisconsin this weekend at Eichelberger Field.

With its most recent cancellation this week, the Illini have lost 11 games to the rain this season, but Illini head coach Terri Sullivan tried to keep their game sharp by having a doubleheader intrasquad scrimmage during practice on Wednesday.

“We decided to have scrimmages so that our batters could see live pitching and that our pitchers could face live hitting,” Sullivan said.

The Illini haven’t played a game since they defeated Bradley 5-2 on April 21, but sophomore pitcher Mary Miller has used the time off to work on a few things.

“It has given me a chance to work on some spins and other things that I’m not able to work on in the game,” Miller said. “The last week and a half is gonna benefit me and I should come out pretty fresh.”

The Illini face a big weekend in Big Ten play as they try to improve on their 1-11 Big Ten record.

“Obviously we have to play with a sense of urgency,” said junior first baseman Jenna Hall. “It’s do or die and we have to give everything we have.”

On Friday and Saturday, the Illini play Minnesota. The Gophers come into this weekend 25-21 overall and 6-8 in the Big Ten.

“We are aware of our opponents’ style of play and Minnesota plays a lot smaller ball,” Sullivan said.

The Gophers come into this weekend hitting .248 as a team. They are led by sophomore catcher Megan Higginbotham who was named Big Ten player of the week for the second straight week.

She leads the team in batting average (.389), home runs (5) and RBIs with 24. She hit .581 as the Gophers went 3-1 last weekend against Indiana and Purdue.

Saturday marks the second annual “World’s Largest Softball Tailgate.”

Last year more than a 1,000 people showed up for the tailgate and 750 people were inside Eichelberger Field to watch the game.

“Last year our girls were pumped up as soon as they arrived,” Sullivan said. “There is not a school anywhere that has an event like this for softball.”

On Sunday, the Illini face Wisconsin who come into this weekend 20-20 overall and 6-8 in the Big Ten.

“Wisconsin is a pretty free swinging team,” Sullivan said. “Kristen Zacher and Boo Gillette are powerful types of hitters.”

Zacher and Gillette are first and second respectively in team batting average. Gillette leads the team in home runs with 10 and RBIs with 30.

The Badgers come off of a sweep of Northern Iowa on Wednesday winning the first game 7-3 and rallying to win the second game 4-3.

“We have to expect them to be at their best and we have to be at ours,” Sullivan said. “We are still playing for something and that’s important.”