April 8, 2011
NORMAL, Ill. - The Illinois State softball team will look to add to its six-game winning streak, when it hosts Missouri Valley Conference opponent Northern Iowa for a three-game series this weekend at Marian Kneer Stadium beginning at 12 p.m. Saturday afternoon.
The Redbirds (21-11, 7-1 MVC) enter the weekend one game out of first place in the Valley standings and earned victories over in-state rivals Bradley and Illinois earlier this week. ISU got a fifth-inning solo home run from sophomore Lauren Kellar to defeat the Braves, 3-2, Tuesday night, before outslugging the Fighting Illini, 10-6, Wednesday evening in Urbana, Ill. Junior Liz Andrews hit her first grand slam as a Redbird in the top of third to cap a six-run inning and freshman pitcher Taylor Baxter held off a late Illinois rally, in relief of starter Jordan Birch, to seal the victory.
Birch has won seven of her last eight starts and enters this weekend's series with a 9-1 record inside the circle. The junior hurler is a perfect 3-0 in Valley games, posting a 1.40 ERA in four starts and striking out 31 hitters, while walking just two. Fellow junior Megan Warner has also been impressive in league games, going 3-1 with a 1.52 ERA in 27.2 innings.
Offensively, senior Kara Nelson leads Illinois State with a .425 batting average and is the only player in the MVC hitting over .400. Fellow senior Abby Olson leads the Valley with 10 doubles and a .774 slugging percentage and ranks second in the conference with a .381 average. Andrews and Kellar have homered in back-to-back games for ISU and combined to go 6-for-12 with four home runs, five runs scored and eight RBI in the wins over Bradley and Illinois earlier this week.
Northern Iowa (22-15, 6-3 MVC) is currently tied for third in the Valley standings and has won eight of its last 10 games. The Panthers took two of three in the series with co-Valley preseason favorite Southern Illinois last weekend in Cedar Falls, Iowa and went 2-1 in non-conference action earlier this week. UNI fell to Iowa State, before rebounding to take both games of a doubleheader at South Dakota State.
The Panthers have been one of the best offensive teams in the MVC this season, hitting .280 as a team, which is the second-best mark in the conference behind Illinois State. UNI has also belted 34 home runs this season, which ties it for the top spot in the Valley with the Redbirds. Mackenzie Daigh leads the Panthers with a .345 average, while Eranne Daugharthy and Courtney Dunker have combined for 14 homers and 47 RBI this season.
Freshman pitcher Jamie Fisher is 13-4 in the circle for Northern Iowa this season and leads the team with a 2.06 ERA, 116 strikeouts and 104.2 innings. Fisher has posted two shutouts and has limited opposing hitters to a .205 average. Jaye Hutcheson has been the second starter for the Panthers and enters the weekend with a 5-10 record and 4.34 ERA in 85.0 innings of work.
This weekend's promotions include "Kids Club Day", in which Reggie's Kids Club members receive free admission. Sunday will be "Bark at the Park", in conjuction with Central Illinois Small Animal Rescue (CISAR), "Sundae Sunday", in which fans can purchase an ice cream sundae in a Redbird mini helmet, and "Alumni Day", where former Redbird softball players will be recognized following the game.
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