EAST LANSING- After getting swept by Toledo last weekend the Michigan State softball team faces Illinois for a three-game series in Champaign, Illinois this weekend.  

Looking ahead to this matchup, MSU is 8-30 all-time against Illinois dating back to 2001 and 2-17 on the road.   

For the Spartans, it’s been junior third catcher Hannah Hawley who has been stepping up with the bat. Hawley has a team high in ops with 1.164 and home runs with nine. Hawley hit a homerun and tallied two rbis in the two-game series against Toledo last weekend.  

Junior third baseman Kaelin Cash has been swinging the bat well recently, as she leads the team in batting average with .367. Cash is also second on the team in rbis with 22. The Spartans will need both Cash and Hawley to swing the bat like they have been if they want to win.  

Freshman pitcher Jacey Schuler has been the Spartans ace of the staff so far this season. Schuler leads the team in wins with six and complete games with three. She also has an era of 4.17 and 59 strikeouts, which also leads the team.  

For Illinois, they are led by sophomore Eileen Donahue at the plate. Donahue has a .366 batting average, 5 home runs and 20 RBIs. Donahue looks to get back on track after her last game against Northwestern ended her four-game hit streak.  

On the pitching side sophomore Megan Nuechterlein has been dealing so far this season. She leads the team in era with 3.90, while also tallying 26 strikeouts.  

The weekend series kicks off on Friday with first pitch set for 8:30 p.m.