Following its first home victory of 2026, Illinois (4-4) looks to keep the momentum rolling as it travels south for another weekend tournament.
This time, it’s off to the First Pitch Invitational in Greenville, South Carolina. The Illini will match up with the Michigan State Spartans (2-4) out of the Big Ten, as well as the Charleston Cougars (3-6) and the Albany Great Danes (0-4).
The Illini’s previous appearance in Greenville in 2024 went well. They won two out of three games, including a win over the Spartans. This is how they can replicate that success this weekend:
White-hot bats
The Illinois offense is finding its stride. The last two games saw the Illini plate 14 and 13 runs, respectively. They showed much more discipline at the plate in those games, and the results have been much better.
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“Swinging at good pitches in the zone,” said junior outfielder Collin Jennings on the team’s approach. “Not swinging at balls and not striking out, putting the good balls in play, and good things happen.”
In addition, the Illini have resurfaced their response factor. They didn’t panic when the Lindenwood Lions (4-4) jumped ahead 5-1 in the fourth inning and responded with five runs of their own.
Going further back, Illinois did this against VCU as well. Down 3-0 late in the game, they plated nine unanswered runs and pulled away. To stack wins this weekend, Illinois will need to approach deficits the same way — if they pop up — and find ways to come from behind.
Have each other’s backs
With the season being in the early stages, the team is still finding a sense of chemistry. Another road trip like this one will help bring them closer and learn from each other more, as they often do.
While winning three of the last four is a nice boost, including earning their first home win, they are still looking to put together a larger win streak. It will take each player being there for their teammates off the field, on top of staying strong on the diamond.
“Fight for each man, play good defense in the field and put good at-bats together,” Jennings said on how the team can win. “I think we’ll be in good shape to win games.”
Getting that first home win can instill a new sense of confidence in any team, and after the loss against Butler last week, Illinois knew it needed to play harder to avoid similar losses. The players came together and figured out what they needed to do to be successful, and it showed the past week.
Error 404: Passed ball
The numbers from the last four games speak for themselves. In their loss to the Rams, the Illini committed two errors. Meanwhile, in the three games they won over the past week, they committed just two total.
While errors have not necessarily been a glaring problem, as the highest mark in a game this year is two, continuing to limit those will be key for the Illini if they want to stack wins in the coming days.
Meanwhile, a critical mistake any battery can make is a wild pitch or a passed ball. Any pitch that reaches the backstop results in the runners moving up 90 feet, and the lasting effects can be devastating, in the form of runs.
Most recently, Illini pitchers threw four wild pitches against the Lions, which led to runners advancing and eventually scoring. Head coach Dan Hartleb said there is plenty of room for improvement on this front.
“The pitchers have to do their job and be around the plate consistently,” Hartleb said. “Then it’s easier for the catchers because they’re relaxed and can move to the ball easier.”
Michigan State is up first for Illinois, with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. CT.
