Softball

Terri Sullivan's squad is looking to keep the momentum from one of the best starts in program history going into conference play.

Despite having its 10-game winning streak snapped and not playing its most important game of the weekend, perhaps not all was lost in the Illini softball team’s rain-soaked trip to Columbia, Mo.

The softball team appears to be headed in a different direction than Bruce Weber and Co., but there is much to be learned from the struggling hoop stars. In a scheduling coincidence, No. 21 Illinois (14-1) was scheduled to take to the diamond Tuesday against Bradley, a game that would have bared an eerie resemblance to the men’s basketball’s Nov. 28 matchup with Bradley in Las Vegas.

The Illini softball team improved to 4-0 in the NFCA Leadoff Classic tournament Saturday, beating Radford 10-0 in five innings and coming back from four runs down to beat Virginia Tech, 10-5.

The Illinois softball team took their team mentality to the Stanford Nike Invitational over the weekend, where they continued on their hot streak by winning four of their five games. The lone loss on the season came against No. 11 Stanford, which shut out Illinois, 8-0.

Just one week into its season, the Illinois softball team already possesses one key component for success — confidence.

That confidence came during the UNLV Sportco Kick-Off Classic last weekend when the Illini outscored their five opponents by a combined score of 43-6 while posting three shutouts.

In a dazzling display of offensive firepower and dominance on the mound, the Illini softball team steam-rolled all five of its opponents to take home the title at this weekend’s UNLV Sportco Kick-Off Classic.

2009 was a year of many milestones for the Illini softball squad. Head coach Terri Sullivan’s upstart Illini streaked to the program’s third-ever NCAA Tournament appearance behind a young but potent group and were headlined by the Illini’s second ever All-American in second baseman Danielle Zymkowitz. But this year’s group has one undeniable edge over its accolade-garnering predecessors: experience.

Maybe it mattered. Maybe it didn't. The Illinois softball team will never know, as that's the nature of sports.

But the Illini do know they weren't helped by the severe storm that halted their NCAA Regionals opener against Missouri in Columbia, Mo., on Friday evening. Leading 1-0 in the top of the first inning with two runners on base and two outs, the Illini were forced off the field as the game was postponed until Saturday morning.

It was still the top of the first inning in Columbia, Mo., when the Fighting Illini softball team was forced to put its postseason dreams on hold temporarily due to severe storms.