NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State softball (18-20, 8-6 MVC) will travel to Bradley (20-18, 8-7 MVC) on Tuesday, April 19 for a doubleheader with the Braves beginning at 3 p.m. CT.
GAME INFORMATION
Illinois State (18-20, 8-6 MVC) vs. Bradley (20-18, 8-7 MVC)
Dates/Times:
Tuesday, April 19 – 3 p.m. CT
Tuesday, April 19 – 5:30 p.m. CT (approx. 30 minutes after game one)
City: Peoria, Ill.
Field: Petersen Hotels Field at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex
TV: ESPN+ ($$$)
SERIES HISTORY
The I-74 rivalry is renewed as Illinois State will travel to Bradley for the first two games of a three-game series. The Redbirds currently hold the all-time series advantage over the Braves, 73-25. Illinois State won the series a season ago, but the Braves avoided the series sweep by taking the final game and last matchup between these programs. Bradley edged out Illinois State 1-0 on April 27 in Peoria. That game was a pitchers' duel, both teams only with two hits each, but Bradley ended up on top.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
In 2021, the Braves were 20-22 overall with a 12-15 conference record to put them sixth in the conference. Bradley beat Indiana State in the first round of the MVC tournament, only to lose to Missouri State in round two. The Braves enter this midweek matchup after a series sweep of Southern Illinois which included two walk-off wins over the Salukis - one in extra innings. Bradley is currently 20-18 and 8-7 in conference. The Braves have earned series wins over SIU and Valpo, but lost series to Indiana State (1-2), Drake (0-3) and Loyola (1-2).
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE 'BIRDS:
The Redbirds traveled to Loyola Chicago this past weekend for a three-game series with the Ramblers. Illinois State started off with a shutout of the Ramblers in game one of the series. Hannah Ross tossed seven scoreless innings, only giving up 2 hits on the day. The Redbirds dropped the final two games of the series to the Ramblers. Walks haunted Illinois State pitchers as they combined to give a total of 18 free passes, and six of those walks came around score. Emme Olson extended her reached base safely streak to 30 consecutive games.
NOTES
CALABRESE BREAKING OUT: Senior Michele Calabrese registered eight official at bats in her previous three season at Illinois State. She had not recorded her first collegiate hit, RBI or walk...until this season. This past week at DePaul, Calabrese hit her first career home run, registered her first career multi-hit contest and her first career multiple RBI game. She was 2-for-3 with a home run, run scored and two RBI. Calabrese then knocked in one of the Redbirds' two runs against the Ramblers in the final game of the series.
SOLID IN THE CIRCLE: Junior Hannah Ross tossed her sixth and seventh complete games this past week. At DePaul, after a four-run first inning, she pitched six scoreless and collected a career high 6 strikeouts. The following game, the first game of the Loyola series, Ross went the distance again in a complete game shutout of the Ramblers, tossing a new career high 7 strikeouts. Over the course of the two games, Ross pitched 13 consecutive scoreless innings, only allowing six hits in that time.
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