NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State softball team begins a busy first two months of the 2016 season at South Florida this weekend with five games. The Redbirds open the season against No. 2 Michigan and No. 1 Florida on Friday, before facing Virginia Tech, South Florida and South Carolina on Saturday and Sunday.
Florida defeated Michigan in last season's Women's College World Series and both teams won 60 games in 2015. The Redbirds finished the 2015 season 25-31 overall and in seventh place in the Missouri Valley Conference.
ISU returns its top four hitters from last season and is led by Regan Romshek. Romshek earned All-MVC Second-Team honors last year after she led the team in runs (44), triples (2) and doubles (11), while ranking second in batting average (.347), hits (58), home runs (15) and slugging percentage (.707). Romshek is also the ace of ISU's pitching staff and led the team in pitching wins (15), strikeouts (114), appearances (39) and complete games (18) in 2015.
Jordan de los Reyes also returns and was an All-MVC Second-Team choice in 2015 after hitting a league-high 18 home runs. She also led the team in RBIs (47), slugging percentage (.727), walks (34) and on-base percentage (.442). Her career total of 29 home runs already ranks her fifth in program history.
Annie Heineman, an All-MVC First-Team choice last season, led ISU in batting average (.356), hits (64) and stolen bases (11). She also ranked eighth in the MVC in batting average, sixth in on-base percentage, fourth in runs and hits and seventh in stolen bases. The center fielder will also bat leadoff for ISU.
The Redbirds open the 2016 season Feb. 12 at 10:45 a.m. CT against No. 2 Michigan. Later in the day, ISU will take on No. 1 Florida at 5:45 p.m. CT.
Series Histories
Illinois State is 3-7 all-time against Michigan. The Wolverines won last season's meeting, 4-1, and have won the last four games in the series.
The Redbirds are 2-4 all-time against Florida. The Gators won both meetings last season as the number one ranked team and have won four-straight in the series.
ISU and Virginia Tech have met just one time and the Hokies snagged a 3-1 victory in 2007.
South Florida leads the all-time series against Illinois State, 9-2, and defeated the Redbirds 7-0 in last season's meeting. South Florida has won the last two games in the series.
The Redbirds own a 6-5 advantage over South Carolina in the all-time series. The two teams have not met since 2009, a 7-0 win for the Redbirds. ISU has won the last two games in the series.
How to Follow Along
A live audio broadcast will be available for all five games this weekend. In addition, live stats will be available and all links can be found on GoRedbirds.com.
GoRedbirds.com:Â Your online source for Illinois State Athletics, tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
