The Illinois softball team’s game against Illinois State scheduled for Wednesday evening has been canceled due to unplayable field conditions. 

“We have this saying on our team: ‘Weather is your friend,’” senior Pepper Gay said earlier this season.

Yet, with five out of its last eight games being scratched because of low temperatures and damaged fields, weather has become one of the team’s biggest obstacles.

Head coach Terri Sullivan said Illinois State has been battling poor field conditions for a few weeks, and the coaches were planning to move Wednesday’s game from Normal to Urbana; however, this Sunday’s harsh winter storm put a halt to softball across the state.

The Illini’s weather-plagued season has not only frozen the fields, but also stolen the chance for a young team to grow. With nine out of 20 players on the roster in their first year playing collegiate softball, the Illini lack in-game experience and have been forced to mature through practice-simulated games.

“I haven’t had too many games under my belt,” freshman Remeny Perez said. “It’s important to get experience and to get confidence.”

Perez said practice is not nearly as beneficial as in-game experience and that the seven-inning game Wednesday would have been helpful to the team’s growth.

Game cancellations are difficult for the Illini seniors, too. As a senior, Gay said it’s tougher to accept the cancellation of a game now than earlier in her career because it leaves one less game in her final season.

The Illini (10-15) also face damage to their playoff resume, as the cancellations have allowed the team fewer chances at placing more games in the win column. 

“We do want as many games as we can in our record,” Gay said. “Illinois State is a great opponent, so to beat them, that would have helped us out a lot.”

The Illini were swept by Wisconsin last weekend in their opening series of conference play. After a disappointing start to the Big Ten schedule — the point in the season which Sullivan and the team have been focusing on since the fall — Illinois’ game at Illinois State may have helped them bounce back before heading into a difficult weekend series against No. 24 Nebraska at the end of the week.

“There’s a real excitement about opening up your Big Ten season,” Sullivan said, “Then to lose three games gave us a lot of disappointment, but no discouragement.” 

Sullivan said the Illini need to improve their offense, which has been lacking all season, but also need to maintain positive attitudes.

“It was the first weekend of play, and anyone that dwells too long on wins and losses from the first weekend is going to find themselves in trouble,” she said.

Illinois seniors reflect Sullivan’s belief in positive reinforcement in both their attitudes and their advice to younger players.

As the Illini lose another crucial chance for a win, they are forced to turn and look ahead to this weekend’s series against Nebraska.

“Every game is tough, every game counts,” Gay said. “We don’t get games back, so we’re going to play a lot harder, tougher and better this coming weekend.”

Sean can be reached at [email protected] and on Twitter

@neumannthehuman.