NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State softball (17-18, 7-4 MVC) is headed back to Chicago to square off with the Loyola Ramblers (9-21, 3-9 MVC) for a three-game series beginning on Friday, April 15 at noon CT.
GAME INFORMATION
Illinois State (17-18, 7-4 MVC) vs. Loyola (9-21, 3-9 MVC)
Dates/Times:
Friday, April 15 – 12:00 p.m. CT (DH – game 1)
Friday, April 15 – 2:30 p.m. CT (DH – game 2)
Saturday, April 16 – 12:00 p.m. CT
City: Chicago, Ill.
Field: Loyola Softball Park
TV: ESPN+ ($$$)
SERIES HISTORY
Illinois State and Loyola will face off for the final time as conference foes as Loyola will leave the MVC after this season. The Redbirds hold the advantage in the all-time series record which is 19-7. The last matchup between these two programs was on Mar. 28, 2021 and the Redbirds won both games of a doubleheader in Normal, Ill. The second game was a walk off win for Illinois State as the Redbirds were down 4-0 heading into the bottom of the seventh and they rallied to score five runs and secure the series over the Ramblers.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
In 2021, the Ramblers were 13-29 overall and 8-16 in conference. Loyola defeated the Evansville Purple Aces in the first round of the MVC tournament, but lost in the next round to Drake. Currently, the Ramblers sit at 9-21 and 3-9 in the MVC. Loyola has lost its last 9 out of 10 games - the only win coming against the Evansville Purple Aces. The Ramblers won the series against Bradley, but got swept by UNI and Southern Illinois.
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE 'BIRDS
The Redbirds beat the DePaul Blue Demons in Illinois State's final non-conference matchup of the season. The game started with a six-run top of the first for the Redbirds, before Michele Calabrese and Jayden Standish both went deep to allow Illinois State to win 9-4 over DePaul. Hannah Ross tossed a complete game and a career high in strikeouts (6). Every Redbird reached base safely against the Blue Demons, and all but one had a hit. Emme Olson continued her reached base safely streak to 27 consecutive games.
NOTES
STAY HOT: Senior second baseman Emme Olson currently holds a reached base safely streak of 27 consecutive games, dating back to February 20 against Portland State when the Redbirds won their first game of the season. Olson has actually reached base safely in 33 of 35 contests this season. The longest known reached base safely streak in ISU history is 32 consecutive games by Kara Nelson in 2011.
SOLID IN THE CIRCLE: Junior Hannah Ross tossed her sixth complete game of the season against DePaul. After a four-run first inning, Ross pitched six scoreless, collecting six strikeouts - a career high in Ks for the Scottsdale, Ariz. native.
For updates on Illinois State Softball, follow the Redbirds on Twitter (@RedbirdsSB) and Instagram (@redbirdsoftball).
GoRedbirds.com and the Illinois State Redbirds App: Your sources for Illinois State tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
