March 20, 2009
An 11-3 run-rule loss to in-state foe Illinois Tuesday in its home-opener may not have been the way the Illinois State softball team planned to start its 2009 home schedule, but it certainly showed the Redbirds one thing: If they are going to win the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season race, it is going to be a fight until the end. With that thought in its mind, Illinois State (13-11, 2-1 MVC) heads to Valley-favorite and 2008 NCAA Tournament participant Creighton (12-8, 3-0 MVC) for a three-game conference series Saturday and Sunday.
The Redbirds and Bluejays will begin the mid-season conference battle with a noon doubleheader Saturday at the Creighton Sports Complex, followed by the series finale at noon Sunday.
Live statistics and an online radio broadcast of each game will be available on GoRedbirds.com.
Headlining the entire series will be storyline of Illinois State head coach Melinda Fischer's quest for her 800th-career coaching victory. Fischer enters the three-game series with 797 career coaching victories, at both Illinois State and Eastern Illinois. Should Illinois State sweep the series, Fischer would become the 40th head coach in NCAA Division I softball history with 800 career coaching victories.
Facing Creighton, which has won 40-plus games in three out of the last four seasons, Illinois State is attempting to win its first Valley series in Omaha since the 2003 season. The Redbirds are just 7-9 all-time in games played against the Bluejays in Omaha.
The all-time series against the Bluejays is the second-shortest for ISU against a Missouri Valley Conference opponent, spanning 56 games over a 29-year period. Illinois State leads the all-time series, 30-25-1; however, the Bluejays have had the Redbirds' number as of late, holding a 7-5 advantage over the last 12 games.
ISU and Creighton split the season series last year, 1-1, with CU taking game one, 3-2, and the Redbirds blanking the Bluejays in game two, 9-0.
GoRedbirds.com: Your online source for Illinois State Athletics, tickets, TRC gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
