March 25, 2011
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ILLINOIS STATE AT WICHITA STATE | WICHITA, KAN.
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| Dates |
Saturday, March 26 - Sunday, March 27
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Location
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Wichita, Kan. (Wilkins Stadium)
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Saturday
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at Wichita State (DH) (12:00 p.m.)
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Sunday
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at Wichita State(12:00 p.m.) |
| Radio |
 GoRedbirds.com / WJBC.com (Dustin Hall | Play-by-Play) |
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This week's show featuring junior Liz Andrews
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WICHITA, Kan. - After a 2-0 start in Missouri Valley Conference play with a pair of wins over rival Bradley last weekend, the Illinois State softball team will look to continue that success this weekend at Wichita State. The Redbirds (15-10, 2-0 MVC) will visit the Shockers (7-21, 0-3 MVC) for a three-game set this weekend beginning with a doubleheader Saturday at 12 p.m.
ISU opened its Valley slate last weekend, downing the Braves, 3-2 and 3-1, in Saturday's doubleheader before the threat of inclement weather forced a postponement of Sunday's contest to April 5 at 6 p.m. Junior Liz Andrews led the Redbirds offensively, finishing the series 3-for-5 at the plate with two runs scored and a pair of RBI. Sophomore Lauren Kellar also played a key role in both victories, going 4-for-7 with three runs scored.
Junior pitchers Jordan Birch and Megan Warner earned the victories in the circle for Illinois State, as Birch tied a season-high with nine strikeouts in the nightcap, improving to 6-1 on the season. Warner upped her record to 6-4 on the 2011 campaign, allowing one earned run on six hits and striking out five Bradley hitters in the opener.
Wichita State was swept in its MVC-opening series with Southern Illinois last weekend, but rebounded with an 18-11 win over Western Illinois Tuesday evening in Macomb, Ill., to snap a 10-game losing skid. The Shockers enter the weekend hitting .266 as a team and posted season-highs of 18 runs, 17 RBI and 14 hits in the win over the Leathernecks. Jamie Hull leads Wichita State with a .347 average, .573 slugging percentage, three home runs and 17 RBI.
In the circle, the Shockers have posted a staff ERA of 5.17 and are allowing a .309 batting average to opposing hitters. Katie Armagost leads WSU with a 4-7 record and 3.88 ERA, while Brianna Smet has tallied a team-high 51 strikeouts and 61.0 innings. Sloan Anderson has been the primary reliever for the Shockers this season, making 24 appearances this season with only five starts. Anderson is 0-4 in the circle with a 4.73 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 57.2 innings of work.
Illinois State and Wichita State met 73 times on the softball diamond, with the Redbirds holding a 56-17 advantage in those contests. ISU has won the last four ballgames and took both games from the Shockers last season at Marian Kneer Stadium. ISU has prevailed in seven of the last nine meetings between the two teams.
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