NORMAL, Ill. – After completing a series sweep of Drake, Illinois State softball (24-17, 14-3 MVC) is set for its final non-conference regular season matchup at in-state foe Illinois (24-20, 3-11 Big Ten) on Tuesday, Apr. 18 at 5 p.m. CT in Champaign, Ill.
GAME DETAILS
Opponent: Illinois
Date: Tuesday, April 18
Location: Champaign, Ill. (Eichelberger Field)
Time: 5 p.m. CT
Broadcast: B1G10+ ($)
Live Stats: Available
Admission: Free
SERIES HISTORY
Illinois State and Illinois will meet for the 25th time in program history on Tuesday, April 18 at 5 PM CT in Champaign, Ill. Illinois holds the advantage in the all-time series record as the Illini have won 16 games of the 24 played between these two programs. The last time Illinois State beat Illinois was April 4, 2012 in Champaign. The Redbirds won 1-0 behind a two-hit performance in the circle from Jordan Birch and the one run scored was on a sacrifice fly from Elizabeth Kay that scored Lauren Kellar in the top of the sixth inning.
Illinois State and Illinois met for a midweek contest on April 6, 2022 last season in Normal, Ill. Illinois beat the Redbirds 11-3 in six innings as Amanda Fox took the loss in the circle for Illinois State. Fifth-year senior Emme Olson, junior Jayden Standish and sophomore Delainey Bryant all collected hits against the Illini last season and return to the Redbirds' lineup in 2023.Â
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
Illinois currently holds a 24-20 overall record with a 3-11 record in the Big Ten. In conference play, the Illini have wins over Wisconsin, Michigan and Ohio State, but have yet to win a Big Ten series. Illinois played Valparaiso, Bradley and Indiana State earlier this season and went 4-0 against the Valley teams. The Illini enter this midweek matchup after losing two of three games to the Buckeyes in a weekend series.Â
In 2022, Illinois was 34-22 overall and ended the regular season with a 15-7 conference record. Illinois lost to Ohio State in the Big Ten tournament, but earned an at-large bid into the NCAA tournament. The Illini ended up at an NCAA Regional hosted by Missouri in Columbia, Mo. Illinois lost to Arizona and Missouri State, a fellow MVC member, in the regional round to end the Illini's 2022 season.
NEWS & NOTES
Drake Series Recap:Â Illinois State collected its fourth series sweep of the 2023 season after going 3-0 at Drake on Apr. 14-15. The Redbirds beat the Bulldogs 2-1 in the first game behind a masterful 7.0 innings in the circle from senior Hannah Ross. The second game of the series was a 10-3 win for Illinois State as freshman Hannah Meshnick earned the win in the circle after entering in relief while the game was tied. The series ended with a 3-0 win in the finale behind a three-run home run from senior Dayna Kennedy and it was another win in the circle for Ross. Sophomore Abby Knight led the Redbird hitters as she was 6-for-10 with 2 RBI across three starts at first base in the series with Drake.
For updates on Illinois State Softball, follow the Redbirds on Twitter (@RedbirdsSB), Instagram (@redbirdsoftball), and Facebook (Illinois State Redbird Softball).
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