UNI softball returns to action with four games in Illinois

UNI softball (13-10 / 2-1 MVC) at Illinois (12-15 / 0-2 Big Ten)

4 p.m. CT | March. 26
Eichelberger Field | Urbana, Illinois
BTN+
LIVE STATS

UNI softball (13-10 / 2-1 MVC) at Southern Illinois (23-4 / 8-0 MVC)

5 p.m CT | March 29
Charlotte West Stadium | Carbondale, Illinois
ESPN+

UNI softball at Southern Illinois

2 p.m. CT | March 30
Charlotte West Stadium | Carbondale, Illinois
ESPN+

UNI softball at Southern Illinois

12 p.m CT | March 31
Charlotte West Stadium | Carbondale, Illinois
ESPN+

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa --- UNI softball is back in action this week, as the Panthers have four scheduled games in the state of Illinois. The Panthers first visit Illinois for a non-conference tilt on Tuesday. The third-ever meeting between the Panthers and Fighting Illini starts at 4 p.m. and will be broadcast on Big Ten Network+.

Then, the Panthers travel south for a weekend series against Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) leaders Southern Illinois. The series begins on Friday at 5 p.m. and continues at 2 p.m. on Saturday. The final game of the series is at 12 p.m. on Sunday. All three games against the Salukis will be broadcast on ESPN+, and live stats will be available for each of the Panthers' games this week.

UNI did not play last weekend after inclement weather and cold temperatures forced an unscheduled week off. The Panthers were slated for a home series against Indiana State, which would have marked the first action at Robinson-Dresser Sports Complex in 2024, but the series was ultimately canceled on Saturday morning after multiple efforts to play were unsuccessful.

The Panthers bring a 13-10 overall record and 2-1 MVC record into the week after having not played since a series at Belmont from March 15 through 17. UNI took the first two games of that series against the Bruins before the Bruins won the series finale.

Despite not playing last week, multiple Panthers remain nationally ranked in a variety of statistical categories. Alexis Pupillo has an MVC-best nine home runs and 24 RBIs, and her 0.39 home runs per game rank No. 9 nationally. Madison Parks leads the conference with a .512 on-base percentage and ranks No. 2 nationally with 1.17 walks per game. Parks' 27 walks are tied for the fourth-highest total nationally.

In the circle, Anna Wischnowski ranks No. 5 in the conference and No. 135 nationally with seven victories. Samantha Heyer ranks No. 19 nationally and No. 2 in the MVC with 9.2 strikeouts per seven innings. Heyer's team-best 2.03 earned run average ranks No. 115 nationally.

The Panthers begin their week against the Fighting Illini on Tuesday afternoon. Like the Panthers, Illinois played a weather-altered series over the weekend, dropping a pair of games at Nebraska. The Fighting Illini are 12-15 overall but rank No. 63 nationally in RPI, and the team is led by a potent offense. Illinois' .309 team batting average leads the Big Ten, and the team ranks No. 64 nationally in scoring offense.

Illinois has played a difficult non-conference schedule littered with power conference opponents ahead of Big Ten play, and the Fighting Illini have also played a pair of MVC opponents in Belmont and Illinois State. Illinois lost to Belmont 6-4 on Feb. 9 and took down Illinois State 9-2 on March 19.

The Panthers then square off against Southern Illinois, who is in the midst of another strong season. The Salukis have a non-conference game against UT Martin on Tuesday afternoon, but Southern Illinois enters that contest with a 23-4 record and 8-0 MVC record. Southern Illinois has won 16 consecutive games and last lost on Feb. 25 against Purdue.

Southern Illinois is led by a dominant pitching staff that, as of March 25, ranks No. 10 nationally and No. 1 in the MVC with a 1.64 team ERA. Freshman Maddia Groff has led the way and, after starting her collegiate career with a seven-inning perfect game against Creighton on Feb. 9, has continued to roll. Groff ranks No. 3 nationally and No. 1 in the MVC with a 0.44 ERA, ranks No. 7 nationally and No. 1 in the MVC with five shutouts and ranks No. 18 nationally and No. 1 in the MVC with 100 strikeouts. Groff's 15 victories lead the conference and rank No. 2 nationally, and she brings an unblemished 15-0 record into Tuesday's contest.

Senior Madi Eberle, the 2023 MVC Tournament MVP, is the Salukis' other primary starter. Eberle is 6-4 in 15 total appearances, with a 2.67 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 57.2 innings pitched. At the plate, Elizabeth Warwick ranks No. 11 nationally in both doubles and doubles per game. Warwick's 12 doubles lead the MVC, and her 0.44 doubles per game rank No. 2 in the conference. Jackie Lis ranks second in the MVC with six home runs, and Lis' 0.22 home runs per game rank second in the conference behind Pupillo.

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