Final Game Between Illinois State and Bradley Set For Tuesday

NORMAL, Ill. – The regular-season series between I-74 rivals Illinois State and Bradley will come to a close on Tuesday, as the Redbirds and the Braves play the third game of their mid-week series at Marian Kneer Stadium, with first pitch scheduled for 5 p.m.

THE SERIES
Illinois State and Bradley will face off for the 109th time on Tuesday, as ISU leads the all-time series between the two programs, 81-27. Illinois State leads the softball 1-74 rivalry by a wide margin of 54 wins and swept the Braves in three contests in 2024. The Birds have won the previous two games in the mid-week conference series in Peoria by scores of 6-3 (March 25) and 1-0 (April 1). They will be looking for the series sweep for the second-straight year with a win at Marian Kneer Stadium. 

SCOUTING THE BRAVES
•    Bradley (19-27, 8-12 MVC) have dropped six out of their last seven contests overall, but closed out its Missouri Valley Conference series against Indiana State with a 3-0 shutout win at OSF Healthcare Field. The victory came at the right time for the Braves, after a pair of frustrating losses to open the weekend against the Sycamores.
•    A dominant complete-game shutout from pitcher Sydney Kennedy helped the Braves snap their losing skid and earn a much- needed win. The offense capitalized early with RBIs from Olivia Turner and Morgan Schlosser, while Ashley Breeding continued her steady production with another run-scoring single.
•    Breeding continues to pace the Bradley offense, leading the team in hits and RBIs for the weekend against the Sycamores
•    Freshman Olivia Turner has also carved out a consistent role, adding key at-bats in multiple games during the Indiana State series.

REDBIRD NEWS & NOTES
•    Illinois State (18-26, 11-8 MVC) continue to stay on a roll, having won seven out of their last eight games overall and their last two MVC series. The Redbirds will be looking for their second MVC series sweep with a win against the Braves, following a series sweep at Valparaiso.
•    The Redbirds took two out three games last weekend against Missouri State, winning the first two games before dropping the second game of a doubleheader on Friday. With those wins, the Redbirds jumped the Bears in the league standings and currently sit in fourth place.
•    Hannah Meshnick picked up a complete-game victory over Missouri State in the first game of the series, while her battery mate Bella Wilkerson had three hits and three RBIs to pace the Redbirds. ISU also picked up a win in the first game of the doubleheader on Friday, as Paige McLeod fired a gem of her own in the circle with a complete-game victory and the offense got a big 3-run home run off the bat of Bella Atkinson to secure the series victory.
•    ISU continues to be one of the better defensive teams in the league, boasting a .965 fielding percentage which ranks second overall behind Belmont. The Redbirds have committed the second-fewest errors in the MVC (45) and are third in the Valley in double plays turned (15). Illinois State pitching has also been solid, as the Redbirds rank third in the Valley in team ERA at 3.34.
•    Senior Abby Knight continues to lead the way for the Redbirds, batting a team-best .340 with nine doubles and 16 RBI. Knight will play in her 200th career game on Tuesday and is approaching the 200 career hit milestone. Fellow senior Delainey Bryant, who picked up her 200th career hit in the series against the Bears, is hitting .299 and leads the Redbirds with four home runs on the year.
•    Outfielder Julia Larson has been rolling of late, as she has reached base in 11 straight games (longest streak of the year for a Redbird player) and has an 8-game hitting streak heading into the contest. Knight also brings an 8-game hitting streak into the contest and Bryant has hit in six games in a row.
 
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