In the blink of an eye, Illinois (13-15, 1-4) is already halfway through its season. This past weekend, the Illini got blanked by the No. 8 Oregon Ducks (29-3, 4-1).
Getting outscored 27-4 across a three-game series is rough, but there are 23 games left and plenty of reasons to stay hopeful for the Illini.
Freshmen phenoms
It might sound redundant to once again mention the talent of the young athletes on Illinois’ squad. But when the team consists of 63 percent underclassmen, it’s hard to overlook their contributions. This past weekend in Eugene, Oregon, one athlete stood out among others.
Freshman infielder Ellie Haggard was Illinois’ light in the darkness against Oregon. She’s only played in 16 games this season, but after her performances at the plate this weekend, she’ll likely get more action on the diamond soon. Haggard slammed two home runs and a double against the Ducks. She managed to show strength in her swing even against the team with the lowest ERA in the conference.
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Not many other Illini have things going on offense in this series. However, freshman first baseman Ella Cushing went 2-4 at the plate on Sunday. The more plate appearances she gets, the more she proves she can be an asset on offense.
While they were quieter this weekend, the freshmen provided loads of hope to Illinois because of their energy and promising performances. Not only that, but head coach Tyra Perry emphasized how receptive the freshmen are to criticism and suggestions.
“A lot of our freshmen are thick-skinned,” Perry said. “You can just have a direct conversation with them and cut all the other stuff … They just take it for what it is.”
Having young athletes who actively listen and respond well to coaches’ feedback is crucial for a team’s trust and development. They’re continuing to learn the motions of collegiate softball with each new team they face. By the end of the season, they could easily look like seasoned vets.
Seniors rising up
Distinctively, the few seniors on the roster have slowly but surely started to find their stride this season. Senior outfielder Stevie Meade has been powerful at the plate recently and brought in one RBI this past weekend.
Similarly, senior catcher Paige Berkmeyer is batting 0.282 and leads the team in RBI with 17. The senior batter group is small but mighty, and their experience in collegiate softball will be especially helpful in this second half of the season.
The lone senior pitcher, right-hander Lauren Wiles is the only pitcher with a winning record on the team (6-5). She faced tough batters in Oregon, but she’s more than capable of coming back strong against their upcoming competitors. Her mindset for the season is to take things day by day and pitch by pitch. She’s a leader for the young ones and a leader on the mound, and that’s exactly what the Illini needed this year.
Keeping spirits high
The Illini have a mix of competitors heading their way for the rest of 2025. First on the docket is the Northern Iowa Panthers (17-8), and then a two-game battle with the Washington Huskies (23-9, 3-2). None of these games will be a walk in the park for Illinois, but its energy and enthusiasm could be enough to aid the team to victory.
The Illini are constantly cheering for their teammates from the dugout and always have smiles on their faces, even during tough games. This positivity travels through the team and leaves a huge impact, making each game more motivating.
They may not have much momentum from Oregon, but they have support within the team to keep one another going. If they can find more rhythm with the bats and stabilize their pitching unit, there’s nothing to worry about going forward. They have all the pieces of the puzzle, it just needs to come together.
@tess_eken
