NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State softball team (9-21, 0-3 MVC) will continue Missouri Valley Conference competition at Southern Illinois (17-10, 2-1 MVC) this weekend. By the conclusion of this weekend, the Redbirds will have played 33 games on the road to start the season – the most since Illinois State played 33 contests on the road to open the 1998 slate.
The Redbirds and the Salukis are scheduled to play a doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m. on Saturday before closing the three-game set on Sunday at 11 a.m. at Charlotte West Stadium.
Redbirds vs. Salukis
Illinois State holds the 72-65 series edge over Southern Illinois, but the Salukis have taken seven of the last 10 meetings between the two programs. Illinois State has gone 1-4 in the last five outings at Charlotte West Stadium in Carbondale, Illinois. The first meeting between the Redbirds and the Salukis dates back to 1965 – the first season of Illinois State softball.
Preseason MVC
Returning starters and 2017 MVC first-team selections, utility player Shannon Felde, pitcher Sarah Finck, outfielder Riley Hale and first baseman Allison Spence, were named to the Missouri Valley Conference's 2018 preseason all-conference team. Illinois State was selected as the favorite to repeat as the Valley champion in 2018, receiving 88 points and two first-place votes. Southern Illinois, UNI and Drake each received multiple first-place votes, selected second, third and fourth, respectively.
Schedule Outlook
Illinois State begins the 2018 campaign on the road at five tournaments and plays two MVC series before the home opener on March 30. The nonconference slate features 12 NCAA Tournament teams from 2017, including super regional winner LSU, Women's College World Series runner-up Florida and back-to-back national champion Oklahoma. The team will also play three NCAA Tournament teams after beginning conference play: Southern Illinois, the reigning MVC Tournament champion, DePaul, the 2017 BIG EAST Tournament champion, and Illinois. The Redbirds will face seven teams ranked in the NCFA's preseason coaches' Top 25.
New to the Birdhouse
The Illinois State softball team added five newcomers to its roster in 2018, all hailing from Illinois. The Redbird freshmen pack a punch as all five were four-year varsity letter-winners and multi-sport athletes in high school. As a group, the class won eight IHSA regional championships and four sectional championships, while winning ASA state and northern national championships. Within the freshman class, there is an IHSA career RBI record holder, Herald & Review Player of the Year, team MVPs, members of NHS, and a senior class Valedictorian.
Up Next
Illinois State will host Indiana State in its long-awaited home opener on March 30. The Redbirds and Sycamores will square off on March 30 at 4 p.m. before wrapping up the series with a doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m. on March 31.
For updates on Illinois State Softball, follow the Redbirds on Twitter and Instagram @RedbirdsSB.
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