NORMAL, Ill. – For the 30th-consecutive season, the Illinois State softball team will take flight to Tempe, Arizona, to compete in the Littlewood Classic, hosted by Arizona State, Feb. 14-16.
LINEUP
Littlewood Classic – Tempe, Ariz.
Friday, Feb. 14 – vs. Boise State, 12:30 p.m. CT
Friday, Feb. 14 – at Arizona State, 5:30 p.m. CT
Saturday, Feb. 15 – vs. Boise State, 10 a.m. CT
Saturday, Feb. 15 – vs. Kentucky, 3 p.m. CT
Sunday, Feb. 16 – vs. Detroit Mercy, 11 a.m. CT
TOUGH TEST CONTINUES
After a challenging opening weekend filled with a pair of nationally-ranked opponents and two teams who were receiving votes in the NFCA Top 25 Preseason Poll, the Redbirds' tough slate will continue this weekend at the Littlewood Classic. All four of Illinois State's upcoming opponents – Boise State (RV), No. 23/22 Arizona State, No. 10 Kentucky and Detroit Mercy - were participants in the 2019 NCAA Tournament.
MACK ATTACK
Mack Leonard boasted a team-leading .471 batting average in five starts for the Redbirds at the USF-Rawlings Invitational to open the 2020 campaign. The lead-off batter hit for the cycle over the span of the weekend, notching a team-best eight hits, two home runs and five RBIs to go along with four runs scored, a double and a triple. In Leonard's first appearance of 2020, the sophomore launched her first career home run while tallying a career-high four RBIs in a 9-3 victory against USF. Over the weekend, Leonard registered a team-high four multi-hit games. She also turned in a 1.000 slugging percentage, .500 on-base percentage and a perfect fielding percentage.
DESTRUCTIVE DAY
Morgan Day went 1-1 in the circle this weekend, making three appearances overall, at the USF-Rawlings Invitational. The right-handed hurler tossed 29 strikeouts across 17.0 innings pitched, recording a pair of 12-strikeout games against USF and Fresno State, who were both receiving votes in the NFCA Top 25 Preseason Poll. With her two 12-strikeout performances, Day matches a career-high in the category, while posting a 2.47 ERA on the weekend. The junior has now registered double-digit strikeouts in four of her last five starts, dating back to last season.
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