With the combination of the national events of September 11, 2001 and a streak of bad weather, the Illinois State softball teams' fall schedule has been significantly reduced. To makeup for the lack of field work, the Redbirds will play a doubleheader Friday afternoon against Western Illinois at 4 p.m. before both teams head to East Peoria to play in the Central Illinois Fall Festival.
Last weekend, the Redbirds played three games in pool play at the State Farm National Invitational Championship in Moline, Ill., before being rained out of elimination play on Sunday.
Illinois State head coach
Melinda Fischer thinks that fall play is essential.
We have been weathered out of six games this fall, said Fischer, and we definitely need to play in the fall so we can see what we need to work on over the winter to be ready for the spring season.
The Birds then travel to East Peoria on Saturday to face Eastern Illinois at the Central Illinois Fall Festival beginning at 6 p.m.
