As Illinois State takes on Wichita State, the top team in the Missouri Valley Conference, this weekend, eight other teams will also be playing in contests critical to the race for the leagues regular season title and conference tournament bids. The Birds (26-15-1, 12-6) square off with the Shockers (31-18, 13-5) in a noon doubleheader on Saturday at Redbird Softball Complex, then wrap-up the series with a noon contest on Sunday. Saturdays games will be broadcast on WJBC2.com.
If we have the ability to make a move, this would be the time to do it, Redbird head coach
Melinda Fischer said. Well take the same approach that we have with every game. This weekend is no different. Like always, we have to be ready to play the best we can every pitch of every inning.
The Redbirds, who are currently No. 4 in the conference standings, may have revenge on their minds this weekend when the Shockers come to town. In their last meeting, the Shockers no-hit the Birds, downing them 1-0 on the way to eliminating ISU from the Valley Tournament despite having lost three straight games to the Redbirds during the regular season. WSU is 7-41 all-time against the Redbirds.
Offensively, third baseman Ashley Lynn leads the Shockers with a .317 average and 11 home runs. In the circle, the Wichita State pitching staff has a combined 1.50 ERA. Junior Lindsay Craig anchors the staff with a 1.24 ERA and a 17-8 record this season.
The Shockers, who have yet to meet Creighton and Drake in league play, are currently in the midst of a four-game win streak, while the Birds are on a two-game win streak of their own. Common foes this season include Auburn, Creighton, SMS, Bradley, Indiana State, Kansas and Southern Illinois. Wichita State is 12-7 against those foes, while the Redbirds are 9-8.
Wichita State is playing really well right now, Fischer added. They have experience in the circle and they always produce at the plate. Well have to play solid defense and clean up some of the things that happened in the Indiana State game.
While Illinois State and Wichita State are squaring off, Creighton and Southern Illinois will be doing battle in Carbondale. The Bluejays and the Salukis are currently tied for second place in the league standings. Meanwhile No. 5 Bradley will play at No. 6 Drake, SMS will play at Evansville and Northern Iowa will take on Indiana State.
After this weekend, the Redbirds must face just two more league opponents before the close of the regular season. They will play at Northern Iowa on May 1 and 2, and then they host Evansville May 8 and 9 in the final regular season series. Illinois State is the only team in the top six that will have completed conference play against all other top teams by the end of this weekend.
