The Illinois softball team came away with a huge upset win against No. 4 Michigan in the opening game of its last home series at Eichelberger Field on Friday. Despite that hot start, the Illini went on to lose the doubleheader Saturday.

However, Illinois (20-25, 4-16, Big Ten) wants to take that momentum built from last Saturday’s final game into this weekend’s final regular-season games at Penn State (14-31, 5-15).

“Michigan is a dynasty in the softball world, not just in the Big Ten,” head coach Terri Sullivan said. “So it was a great win for the program. But I, to be honest with you, want to take more of the third game with us because I thought we fought hard. We got behind and came back and had the tying run on. So that kind of fight is what we want, what you have to have, in every game you play at this point.”

An overturned call in the bottom of the seventh with the winning run at the plate led to Sullivan getting ejected after a lengthy argument with the umpire. The Illini could not come back and lost 6-5, yet, it was the way they battled all game that led Sullivan to want to carry that fight into this upcoming weekend.

Illinois owns the all-time series with Penn State 18-12 but is looking to put up a fight after Penn State upset Illinois in the first-round upset of the 2013 Big Ten Tournament. Illinois did not face Penn State in the regular season last year.

In practice this week the Illini worked not only on routine defensive plays and situational hitting but also on completing the big plays. The team used live situations to create pressure moments very similar to the ones found in that last inning in the third game against Michigan.

“We brought a lot of positives,” catcher Jenna Mychko. “We know we can hit. Our bats were on fire. We know when they score, we can come right back and score. It’s everyone’s last series so we have to look for everyone to be at their best, and we have to be at our best.”

With that fight from Saturday’s loss, Illinois is looking to end Big Ten play with a series win.

But the team will have difficulty knowing that this is one of the last opportunities they will get to play with seniors Alex Booker and Mychko.

“We’ll lose a lot of leadership,” sophomore Allie Bacuh said. “Booker, she’s a great player. The talent she has for the game is undeniable. And then with Mychko, she’s got so much pride and passion for the game. It’s just so contagious that I’ve been so lucky I’ve been able to play with both of them. I’ll take a lot from them.”

For although the Illini will definitely play this weekend and in the first game of the Big Ten Tournament, Sullivan pointed out that Booker’s and Mychko’s time playing for Illinois could be over soon. According to her, their drive and momentum has the potential to carry them far.

“At this point on, they’ve got to be playing to win and to keep their careers going basically,” Sullivan said. “I know those two will have that mindset. They love the game. If we play to the level we did on Friday night and the fight we had in Saturday’s contest and for a little bit there in Game 2 in between. I like this team’s chances of continuing to play through the month of May.”

Charlotte can be reached at [email protected] and @charlottecrrll.