NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State softball (19-15, 9-1 MVC) returns home to play host to Missouri State (18-15, 9-2 MVC) on Apr. 7-9 at Marian Kneer Stadium for a key Missouri Valley Conference series as both the Redbirds and Bears enter this weekend with a 10-game win streak.
The series is set to begin on Friday, Apr. 7 at 5 p.m. CT and will continue with a single game on Saturday, Apr. 8 at 2 p.m. CT. The series finale will be played on Sunday, Apr. 8 at noon CT. All games will be available to be streamed on ESPN+/3 and live stats will be available.
SERIES SCHEDULE
Friday, April 7 – Illinois State vs. Missouri State – 5 p.m. CT (ESPN+)
Saturday, April 8 – Illinois State vs. Missouri State – 2 p.m. CT (ESPN3)
Sunday, April 9 – Illinois State vs. Missouri State – noon CT (ESPN+)
WEEKEND PROMOTIONS
Saturday, April 8 – Bingo! & Fan Egg Hunt
Sunday, April 9 – Run the bases with Reggie & Military Appreciation Day
SERIES HISTORY
After the weekend is said and done, Illinois State and Missouri State will have 115 total meetings between the two programs since 1979. Illinois State currently leads the all-time series 68-44, but Missouri State has won eight of the last nine meetings between the Redbirds and Bears. The three-game series will actually begin on the anniversary of the first meeting between Illinois State and Missouri State which occurred on April 7, 1979. The Redbirds won that game 7-0.
Illinois State and Missouri State met four times last season. The Redbirds traveled to Springfield, Mo. to open the 2022 conference season and took the first game of the series 10-2 over the Bears. Illinois State ended up losing the final two games of the series by one run each 3-2 and 2-1. The second game of the series was lost in extra innings on a walk-off by the Bears in the 11th inning. The final meeting of the season between Illinois State and Missouri State was in the semifinals of the MVC Tournament hosted by Missouri State. The Redbirds lost 5-1 to the Bears who went on to win the tournament and earn an automatic bid into an NCAA Regional.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
Missouri State currently holds an 18-15 overall record and a 9-2 conference record while both its Valley losses coming at the hands of the Southern Illinois Salukis. The Bears enter this weekend series with Illinois State also on a 10-game win streak, so one team's streak is about to come to an end. So far, the Bears have faced Southern Illinois, Drake, Evansville and Valparaiso in conference play and hold sweeps over Evansville and Valparaiso.
In 2022, Missouri State posted a 28-20 overall record while going 18-7 in conference play. The Bears ended up winning the MVC Tournament which they hosted in Springfield, Mo. They beat the regular season MVC champion UNI in the championship game to earn an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. Missouri State played in an NCAA Regional hosted by Missouri and lost to Missouri twice to end its season.
NEWS & NOTES
National Stats: As a team, Illinois State currently ranks 27h in the nation in team fielding percentage (.975). As a team, the Redbirds are also 34th in total doubles (50) and 43rd in doubles per game (1.47). Individually, Emme Olson ranks 78th in the country in the "toughest to strikeout" category with only 6 strikeouts on the season in 108 at bats which also leads the conference.
Bradley Recap: Illinois State traveled to Bradley for a midweek doubleheader against the Braves on Wed., April 5. The Redbirds walked away with a pair of wins, a series win and a 10-game win streak. Senior Hannah Ross tossed a gem in the first game of the DH as she picked up a career-high 11 strikeouts while only allowing two hits across 7. 0 IP. In the second game, the Redbirds completed a come from behind victory. Fifth-year senior Emme Olson blasted a three-run home run with the game tied at 2-2 to take the lead and freshman Hannah Meshnick entered the circle to close out the game. Illinois State and Bradley will finish their series at Marian Kneer Stadium on Tuesday, April 11 at 5 p.m. CT.
Kramos Facing Her Alma Mater: First-year head coach Tina Kramos will face her alma mater, the Missouri State Bears, for the first time as head coach of the Redbirds. Not only will she be facing the school she played for, but her former coach, Holly Hesse, is still the head coach of the Bears as Hesse enters her 35th year at the helm of the Missouri State program. Kramos was a shortstop for the Bears from 1991-95 and played under head coach Holly Hesse. In 2004, Kramos was inducted into the Missouri State Athletics Hall of Fame for her outstanding career at MSU where she still holds single season assists record that she set in 1995 (152 assists).
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