Wednesdays game between Illinois State (11-12) and Iowa (15-12) at 4:30 p.m. at Redbird Softball Complex will be the second meeting of these teams this season. Both squads will be looking to end four-game losing skids.
The first time these two teams squared off this year was in Tempe, Ariz., at the Louisville Slugger Classic. ISU lost that game, 7-3. Iowa, playing in just its second game of the season, grabbed an early 3-0 lead and the Redbirds werent able to catch up. Bloomington native Ali Arnold, Iowas ace in the circle, struck out nine Redbirds and allowed just five hits and four walks on the way to earning her first victory of the season.
Iowa holds the all-time series lead 25-11. Last season, the Birds split their four meetings with Iowa, the team that won both the Big Ten regular season and the Big Ten Tournament championships. It was the first time that the Hawkeyes had ever won both titles in the same season.
Illinois State is coming off three losses to Creighton last weekend in its Missouri Valley Conference opening series. The three losses mark the first time that the Redbirds have been swept by a Valley opponent since 2000. It was also the first time that ISU had lost three straight Valley games since 1998.
