ON DECK
Illinois State softball returns home this weekend to host the Drake Bulldogs for a three-game conference series at Marian Kneer Stadium. Friday's doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. CT, with the series concluding Saturday with a single game at 1 p.m. CT. All three games will stream live on ESPN+. All Illinois State softball regular-season home games are free and open to the public.
LAST TIME OUT
The Redbirds fell, 6-3, in their home opener against the Iowa Hawkeyes on Tuesday. With the loss, head coach Tina Kramos is now 1-3 in home openers, and the Redbirds are 3-3 in home openers since 2021.
MVC HOME OPENERS
Illinois State is 2-1 in MVC home openers and 6-3 in MVC home opening series under Coach Kramos.
MVC WEEKLY HONORS
• Morgan Calhoun earned MVC Freshman of the Week (March 10) for the second consecutive week after batting .444 (4-for-9) with a triple, a home run, four RBIs, three runs scored and three walks in a three-game series versus Evansville. She went 3-for-4 with a triple and two runs scored in the 3-2 series-opening win.
• Calhoun leads the Redbirds and ranks fourth in the MVC with a .435 batting average, sits 2nd in the league with 22 RBIs and is tied for the MVC freshman lead with four home runs.
• Two Redbirds earned MVC honors on March 3, as Hannah Meeks was named MVC Player of the Week and Calhoun earned MVC Freshman of the Week.
• Meeks hit .538 (7-for-13) at the Make It Happen Games with four doubles, a grand slam and six RBIs while posting a 1.077 SLG% and .571 OB%. Calhoun hit .500 (9-for-18) with two home runs, six RBIs and five runs scored over the weekend in Madeira Beach.
DOUBLE PLAY D
Illinois State has turned 11 total double plays, which ranks first in the MVC and 27th in the NCAA this season. The Redbirds rank 19th nationally with 0.55 double plays per game.
TWO DUBS ONE DAY
Paige McLeod added two wins to her record during the Redbirds' doubleheader with Evansville last Friday. In game one, McLeod started in the circle and gave up two earned runs while striking out four batters in six innings. In the second contest, which ended in nine innings, McLeod pitched the final four frames and held the Purple Aces to one earned run to earn her seventh victory of the season and the Redbirds' second extra inning win this year.
MESHNICK MASHES
Hannah Meshnick made the most of her four at-bats against Evansville, going 3-for-4 with a triple, two home runs, six RBIS and three runs scored. The junior is currently hitting .414 in 17 games played.
WORKIN' WALKS
Freshman Ava Boyer worked four base on balls against Evansville on March 7, marking the first four-walk game for a Redbird since Jayden Standish versus Southern Illinois on May 6, 2023. She is second on the team with 10 walks this season.
ASSIST-KINSON
Bella Atkinson has been busy at third base, leading the conference and ranking 20th in the nation with 62 total assists this season. The senior also ranks third in the NCAA with 3.10 assists per game.
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