As the Illini prepare for the matchup with the Panthers, they plan to focus on key components missing in Saturday’s doubleheader losses to Michigan, including picking up timely hits.

“We usually have a game plan coming in of what pitch we might be looking for,” head coach Terri Sullivan said. “On the weekend, we didn’t carry that out so we need to see the ball well and really try to execute. You know, use the whole field, hit the opposite way, and that will be our goal at practice Monday.”

Transitioning from Big Ten play to face a smaller school does not affect the way Sullivan plans on approaching the Panthers. She refuses to look to one particular player to step up in the batter’s box. Instead, she leaves the responsibility to the entire team.

“Honestly, I’m looking for the entire lineup on offense because that’s really how you win games,” Sullivan said. “When you play good teams, we need to step up to the plate looking for a hit. Some girls go up there looking for a big hit, but we want more.”

Junior right fielder Hope Howell feels the key to a win is to utilize the scouting report before the game to mentally prepare themselves against the Panthers’ pitchers.

“I think we need to trust in the game plan. Our coaches always prepare us for the pitcher we’re about to face, and you just need to trust your preparation,” Howell said. “I guess aside from the things we know about percentages or whatever, there’s no difference between one pitcher or another.”

Sullivan agrees that the team’s game plan does not center on any certain pitcher but focuses on Eastern Illinois’ specific pitches and how to capitalize on them.

“They have a new pitcher, and I know she is throwing well and so we will just really need to see the ball well. If it’s a rise ball, you need to lay off it. If it’s an off-speed we need to obviously drive that the opposite way,” Sullivan said.

Defensively, the Illini have struggled in recent games. Sophomore second baseman Danielle Zymkowitz stressed that aggressiveness will be the key to cleanly finishing plays Tuesday.

“We need to stay aggressive on the grounders and fly balls and go after them. I think everything comes with just wanting the ball to be hit to you,” Zymkowitz said.

While Howell has similar plans to improve her own defense against Eastern Illinois, the right fielder has a slightly different outlook than Zymkowitz’s infielder point of view.

“I would say that it’s a game of inches. The difference between a fly out and a home run is what, a quarter of an inch or something?” Howell said. “So we just can’t wait for the ball to come to us. We need to attack the ball.”

The Illini plan to continue to focus on their own play and not be distracted by Eastern Illinois’ records or statistics in Tuesday’s contest.

“I don’t know much about them, except they’re having a solid season, and again, these midweek games are any other game,” Sullivan said. “You need to really come out very competitive and compete. That’s what I thought we lacked over the weekend was really competing, so we plan to work on that for tomorrow.”