Inconsistency was the root of the Illini softball team’s problems on its weekend trip to the Red and Black Showcase in Athens, Georgia. Illinois returned to Champaign on Sunday having dropped four of five games.

Illinois started its season with a Friday doubleheader against Winthrop and No. 12 Georgia. Against the Eagles, the Illini put runners on base in every inning, but couldn’t capitalize on their opportunities and dropped the season opener 5-1.

The Illini put up a fight against the Bulldogs in the second game, but Georgia broke the contest open with a four-run fourth inning. Illinois’ inconsistent offense couldn’t keep up — the Illini lost to the Bulldogs 5-0.

Illinois had another doubleheader Saturday: one game with Murray State and a rematch against Georgia. It was the same story as Friday for the Illini. They lost to Murray State 5-3. The Illini again hung tough with Georgia, but huge fifth and sixth innings for the Bulldogs meant an 11-3 loss for the Illini.

Head coach Terri Sullivan was not happy with her team overall on the weekend.

“We didn’t play well, particularly offensively,” Sullivan said. “We never found any consistency with our line up at all.”

Inconsistencies on both sides of the ball were the major problems for the Illini. They failed to score with runners in scoring position, and their defense made crucial errors that allowed opponents to put together big innings.

In the second game against Georgia, sophomore pitcher Breanna Wonderly came into the game to relieve senior starter Shelese Arnold. In the one inning Wonderly pitched, she gave up five unearned runs to the Bulldogs.

Arnold couldn’t find her comfort zone early — she gave up runs in the first two innings of the three games she started on the weekend. Sullivan said falling behind early put even more pressure on the faltering bats of the Illini.

“We fell behind early in every game,” Sullivan said. “When you do that, you need your offense to pick you up, but our offense was unable to do that this weekend.”

Junior Allie Bauch, who is looking to be a big source of offense for the Illini this season, was quick to point to herself for some of the team’s offensive struggles. Bauch had just three hits in 15 at-bats over the weekend.

“It was definitely not one of my better weekends,” Bauch said. “Usually I am supposed to be the consistent hitter that gets the team going, but I was unable to do that this weekend.”

The weekend wasn’t all bad for the Illini. They closed the trip out with a 13-0 win over Coppin State Sunday. It left the some of the players, like Bauch, wondering where that offense was the whole weekend. Bauch had a home run in the Illini’s offensive outburst.

Another good sign for Illinois was Wonderly, who made her first pitching appearances for the Illini after transferring from Heartland Community College in Normal, Illinois, this year. She pitched 12 1/3 innings and only gave up five earned runs on the weekend.

The Illini look to bounce back next weekend at the February Freezer tournament in Starkville, Mississippi.

Cole can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @cole_Henke.