March 18, 2011
NORMAL, Ill. -
The Illinois State softball team will open Missouri Valley Conference play this weekend, when rival Bradley travels to Marian Kneer Stadium for a weekend series starting at 12 p.m. Saturday afternoon. The Redbirds (13-10) swept the Braves (7-18) in the three-game set last season in Peoria, Ill.
The ISU softball team will be looking to "Pack the Park" this weekend against Bradley and fans can get in free to Saturday's doubleheader with a "Pack the Park" coupon or by texting PACK to 71857 for a free ticket, which will be sent to their cellular phone.
"Bradley is coming off a bit of a high, after almost getting an upset win over Fresno State," said head coach Melinda Fischer. "They have a lot of new players in their program this year and Amy [Hayes] has done a good job recruiting out-of-state players in the pitching position and of blending players from the former program when she took over. We have to be prepared for anything, just like we have been this entire spring season."
Illinois State finished 1-2 last weekend in Columbia, Mo., at the DeMarini Invitational with a win over in-state rival Illinois and a pair of losses to No. 13/17 Missouri. Freshman Laura Canopy led the Redbirds offensively, going 5-for-7 at the plate with three doubles, a home run and three RBI. Canopy raised her batting average to .333 on the season and is second on the team with six doubles.
Junior Liz Andrews also provided a strong performance for ISU last weekend, finishing 3-for-4 in the win over the Fighting Illini. Andrews scored three runs and drove in two more with a home run in the bottom of the second in the 10-7 victory.
Bradley enters the weekend with a 7-18 record after a narrow 3-2 defeat to Fresno State Tuesday. The Braves have lost seven of their last nine and finished 2-3 last weekend at the Bayer Cropscience Classic in Fresno, Calif. Offensively, BU is hitting .249 as a team with 27 doubles and six homers. Julie Sherman leads the squad with a .409 average and Kate Singler boasts a .304 average with three home runs and a team-high 17 RBI.
The Braves have struggled this season in the circle and enter the MVC-opening series with a 5.15 staff ERA. Bradley pitchers have allowed 163 runs and have yet to record a shutout. Mackenzie Camp leads all BU pitchers with a 3.81 ERA and a 3-5 record. Camp has notched 23 strikeouts in 49.2 innings of work.
Illinois State and Bradley have met in 68 previous meetings with the Redbirds holding a 52-16 advantage in the all-time series. ISU has won 16 of the last 18 meetings and shutout the Braves in all three meetings last season.
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