NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State softball team is fresh off of a two-win weekend at Arizona State, and will hit the road once again. This weekend, ISU will travel to Louisiana State in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, for four games. The Redbirds will play LSU and Texas Tech two times each.
ISU finished 2-3 in Tempe, Arizona, last weekend, but enjoyed an offensive outburst. Despite a shutout loss to Arizona State, Illinois State still managed to score 5.4 runs per game over the five games last weekend. ISU scored a season-high 12 in a win over Memphis and recorded 40 hits for the weekend. Fourteen different players crossed the plate for ISU in the five games.
After hitting just two home runs in the first five games of the season, the Redbirds made a habit of launching balls out of the park at ASU. The Redbirds clubbed 10 home runs, including the first home run of the season for five different players. Riley Hale led ISU with three homers while Jordan de los Reyes and Allison Spence hit two apiece.
Hale's three home runs were part of a breakout weekend in Tempe, as she led ISU in nearly every major statistical category. The freshman batted .467 (7-for-15) over the course of five games and had five extra base hits. She hit three home runs and two doubles, while driving in nine runs. In addition, Hale scored three runs and laid down two sacrifice bunts. Her slugging percentage of 1.200 was the best on the team as well.
Illinois State will begin the weekend slate Friday night against LSU. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. ISU will play Texas Tech at 12 p.m. and LSU at 2:30 p.m. Saturday. The Redbirds wrap the weekend up Sunday with a 10 a.m. game against Texas Tech.
Series Histories
This is the second meeting all-time between LSU and Illinois State. The only previous meeting was in 1980 and the Redbirds won, 1-0.
Illinois State is 4-2 all-time against Texas Tech. ISU won the last meeting, 4-0, in 2000.
How to Follow Along
A live audio broadcast will be available for all four games this weekend. In addition, live stats will be available and all links can be found on GoRedbirds.com. For in-game updates, follow the team on Twitter @RedbirdsSB.
GoRedbirds.com:Â Your online source for Illinois State Athletics, tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
