NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State softball team (23-6, 9-2 MVC) will host I-74 rival Bradley (15-12, 8-7 MVC) for a doubleheader on Wednesday. First pitch between the Redbirds and the Braves is set for 3 p.m.
Fans can follow the pair of contests via live stats, The Valley on ESPN or WZND Radio. At this time, attendance is limited to player pass list only and not open to the general public.
SCOUTING THE SERIES
This season's series with Bradley will feature a home-and-home doubleheader, starting with the first pair of games at Marian Kneer Stadium on Wednesday. Illinois State is set to make its return trip to Bradley next Tuesday (April 27) with a twin bill beginning at 3 p.m. The Redbirds lead the overall series 71-24 and are 6-4 in the last 10 outings against the Braves.
FLYING SOLO
Four different Redbirds tallied a solo home run against Southern Illinois in the three-game series this weekend. Spenser Strandgard lifted one in the series opener, registering a home run for the second-straight game. Mack Leonard and Emme Olson each delivered one in ISU's comeback win in game two of the doubleheader against the Salukis, as the Redbirds won, 4-3. In Sunday's series finale, Jayden Standish bombed her fourth of the season off Saluki ace Sarah Harness, who had just previously given up five long balls in MVC play. The Redbirds now have 20 on the year with Leonard (6) leading the way.
STEALING THE SERIES FROM THE SALUKIS
For the first time since 2015, Illinois State stole the series from Southern Illinois, opening the weekend with a doubleheader sweep on Saturday. Morgan Day grabbed two more wins in the circle, while fanning a combined 13 Salukis and posting a team-best 1.50 ERA. After opening with a 6-1 victory against the Salukis, Illinois State rallied from a 3-2 deficit to win 4-3 by way of solo home runs delivered by Leonard and Olson.
For updates on Illinois State Softball, follow the Redbirds on Twitter (@RedbirdsSB) and Instagram (@redbirdsoftball). Game dates, times, opponents and locations are all subject to change.
GoRedbirds.com and the Illinois State Redbirds App: Your sources for Illinois State tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
