After facing one of the top pitchers in the country last weekend in Michigan’s Jennie Ritter, the Illinois offense will be thrown right back into the fire as it goes up against the No. 25 Southern Illinois Salukis.

Southern is the second team in less than a week’s time that Illinois will face with a pitcher that registers an earned run average below 1.

Saluki junior starting pitcher Cassidy Scoggins ranks in the nation’s top 20 in three categories. Scoggins is fifth in wins with a 24-8 record, sixth in saves with four and 18th in ERA with a miniscule .94.

But Scoggins’ numbers do not seem to scare the Illinois squad.

“I really think we’ve faced some of the nation’s most elite pitchers this season,” said head coach Terri Sullivan. “Anytime there’s a challenge, there’s an opportunity to do something good. You have to give full effort and good things usually happen.”

The Illini are taking the matchup in a different light and consider it preparation for the postseason and the Big Ten tournament.

“It’s a really big challenge for us,” said senior first basemen Jenna Hall. “With the Big Ten tournament coming up, it’s definitely good for us to get ready and see some good pitching. Southern will be really good preparation for Northwestern this weekend.”

The Salukis have an offense to back their stellar pitching. Southern Illinois’ offense is ranked in the top 30 in four different categories, but the offensive load is dispersed and the team is not carried by one star.

Illinois’ offense has also spread production around in the recent weeks, taking a load off of offensive star Hall, a finalist for the USA Softball Player of the Year.

Four players, including Hall who is hitting .488 in the number two spot, are hitting above .300. Junior outfielder Molly Lawhead is batting .327, centerfielder and leadoff hitter Rachelle Coriddi is hitting .314, and sophomore third baseman Shanna Diller rounds out the top four at .313.

“We feel our offense can swing with anyone,” Sullivan said. “What matters most to us is our own preparation and taking the field in the right frame of mind.”

“We scout various teams and let our players know what we’re going up against, but those things aren’t factors in us winning the game. We just need to be at the top of our competitive greatness level.”

But the most important statistic to Sullivan is winning, something the Salukis have excelled at all year long, compiling a 33-9 record against quality opponents.

Southern Illinois has beaten Missouri Valley Conference rivals Illinois State and Bradley and topped Iowa early in the season, three teams that the Illini fell to midway through the season in close games.

“Southern Illinois is a great program with great coaches,” Sullivan said. “They play solid softball. We just have to play our style of softball if we want to win.”