The Birds are flying south again, but this time they head west to Tempe, Ariz., where the Illinois State softball team will compete in the Louisville Slugger Tournament hosted by No. 13 Arizona State, February 14-16.
Illinois State will begin the tournament Friday, against Big Ten foe, Iowa, at 11 a.m. The Redbirds will then face Arizona State at 5 p.m. Saturdays action will begin at 11 a.m., when the Birds take on Utah State, and will take the field again versus Arizona State at 7 p.m. The tournament will conclude on Sunday, with the Redbirds playing back-to-back games against Iowa and Utah State at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., respectively.
Head coach
Melinda Fischer looks at this tournament as yet another opportunity to evaluate the team and prepare for conference play.
This is a great chance to see some additional competition and get outside on the field, said Fischer. We were able to be outside for four days while we were in Florida, but we have been back inside since returning. This tournament will help us see where we are at at this point in the season. We are looking forward to trying different combinations in the lineup.
Since 1999, the Redbirds have improved their record at Louisville Slugger Tourney with each passing year. In 1999, Illinois State finished 0-5, improved to 1-4 in 2000 and 2-3 in 2001. Last year, the Birds finished the tournament with a 3-1 record, with wins over Michigan State and Iowa, and split with Arizona State.
The Redbirds have an overall record of 2-3 and will begin conference play at home on March 15 against Northern Iowa.
