Frost Classic In Tennessee Up Next For Softball Redbirds

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The non-conference tournament portion start to the 2025 softball season for Illinois State continues this weekend for the first of two tournaments in back-to-back weekends in Tennessee, as the Birds are set to play five games over three days at the Frost Classic hosted by UT Chattanooga from Feb. 21-23.

Three fields will be utilized with game times on Friday and Saturday at 11:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. CT. Sunday's games will begin at 11 a.m. CT. All Chattanooga games will be played at Frost Stadium, while all neutral site games are slated for Fields 1 and 2 at Warner Park.

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Friday, Feb. 21 – Illinois State vs. Southeast Missouri State (Field 2) – 11:30 a.m. CT
Friday, Feb. 21 – IU Indy vs. Illinois State (Field 2) – 2 p.m. CT
Saturday, Feb. 22 – Indiana State vs. Illinois State (Field 1) – 11:30 a.m. CT
Saturday, Feb. 22 – Illinois State vs. Chattanooga (Frost Stadium) – 2 p.m. CT
Sunday, Feb. 23 – Lamar vs. Illinois State (Field 2) – 11 a.m. CT

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
•    SEMO (2-2) posted back-to-back wins over Alabama State at the Cardinal Clash last weekend in Troy, Ala. The Redhawks are led by Tatum Gerwitz who is 7-for-10 (.700) on the season, while Brooklyn Saysoff (.429) and Sydney Melton (.364) each have a team-high four RBI. 
•    IU Indy (2-5) picked up a win over CSUN in the UCLA Invitational in Los Angeles to start the season and came away with a 9-1 victory over Canisius in five innings in the final game of the USC Upstate Tournament last weekend in Spartanburg, S.C. Kendall Calvert leads the team with a .333 batting average and Molly Kable has four RBI on five hits with a .313 batting average and one home run.
•    Indiana State (1-8) opened the season in Ft. Myers, Fla., at the FGCU Tournament and picked up a 4-3 win against LIU. Sophie Esposito leads the Sycamores with a .250 batting average with six hits in 24 at bats. Hailey Griffin has a 1-2 record and a 1.62 ERA in the circle to lead the Sycamores.
•    Chattanooga (3-7) opened the season with a sweep on the opening day of the Frank Griffin Classic in DeLand, Fla., hosted by Stetson. Olivia Lipari leads the Mocs with a .429 batting average and has a team-leading 11 RBI with a home run and five doubles on 12 hits. Peja Goold has a team-best 25 strikeouts in 21.0 innings pitched with a 3.33 ERA in the circle, and pitched a one-hitter against FDU to start the season. 
•    Lamar (6-3) opened the season with a double header win over UL Monroe in the UH/UL Tournament in Beaumont, Texas, and then went 3-2 in the I-10 Border Classic with a win over Nicholls and two against Missouri State while falling 13-0 to #6 Tennessee in five innings. Veronica Harrison is hitting a team-best .435 with two home runs, three doubles and a team-high seven RBI for the Cardinals. Reagan Smith leads the team with a 2-0 record and a 3.07 ERA in the circle, with seven strikeouts in 14.2 innings pitched.

NEWS & NOTES
•    The Redbirds capped off last weekend's Puerto Vallarta College Classic with a 3-0 shutout win over North Dakota State.
•    Junior Hannah Meshnick was stellar in the circle for the Redbirds at the PVCC, as she did not allow an earned run in 14.1 innings pitched for the Redbirds as she went 1-1 in two starts for ISU. She was particularly strong in the finale against the Bison, as she picked up her second complete-game win of the year holding NDSU scoreless on eight hits in a 3-0 victory.
•    For her efforts in Mexico, Meshnick was named the Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week.
•    Illinois State features four standouts selected for the 2025 All-MVC preseason team in seniors Delainey Bryant and Bella Wilkerson and sophomores Adisyn Hopkins and Paige McLeod.
•    The Redbirds were picked to finish fourth in the 2025 MVC preseason poll, behind reigning back-to-back Missouri Valley Tournament Champion Southern Illinois in first, Belmont in second, and UNI in third.

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