Redbird Softball Program Welcomes Back National Runner-up

NORMAL – The Redbird softball program is bringing back the national runner-up squad from Illinois State for the 50-year reunion of the team's performance at the 1969 Women's College World Series (WCWS) on Saturday.

The Redbirds played in the first-ever WCWS in 1969, as the event was held in Omaha and Fremont, Nebraska, and sponsored by the Amateur Softball Association (ASA), before the NCAA took it over in 1982. Illinois State was one of nine teams that participated in the championship tournament, securing wins over Kearney State, St. Petersburg Junior College, Colorado State College and Missouri State (formerly Southwest Missouri State), before falling to John F. Kennedy in the championship game.

The 2019 Redbirds are set to take on Missouri State on April 13-14, with first pitch of Saturday's doubleheader set for 12 p.m. at Marian Kneer Stadium. All Redbird softball alums will be recognized pre-game on April 13, with a special recognition of the 1969 team slated for between games of the twin bill.

SERIES HISTORY

Illinois State holds a 67-39 series advantage over Missouri State, despite dropping all three games in Springfield, Missouri, in 2018. ISU is 20-8 versus the Bears at Marian Kneer Stadium, sweeping Missouri State in the 1999, 2001, 2007, 2011 and 2017 seasons at its home facility.

SCOUTING MISSOURI STATE

Missouri State enters this weekend’s series with an overall record of 24-14 and a 9-5 mark in conference play. The Bears are led by 31-year veteran Holly Hesse, who secured her 800th career win in MSU’s series finale against UNI on March 24. Missouri State has one top-25 win on the year, as it battled then-No. 16 Auburn on Feb. 9 for a 4-3 victory. Kyana Mason leads the Bears at the dish with a .405 batting average.

LAST TIME OUT

Illinois State and Bradley battled through unfavorable conditions Wednesday night, as the Braves came away on top, 8-4, in the Redbirds’ annual Pack the Park event. Alyssa Wiebel launched her sixth home run of the season in the bottom of the second inning to give ISU an early 1-0 advantage. A ground out to Andrea Coursey closed the door on the top of the third, giving first baseman Allison Spence her 1,292th career putout to become the Redbirds’ all-time leader in the category. Shannon Felde led ISU at the plate, going 2-for-3, with a double, three RBI and a walk.

ON DECK

Illinois State will travel to Des Moines, Iowa, next weekend for its first Missouri Valley Conference series on the road since March 23-24 to face the Drake Bulldogs, after wrapping up its nonconference slate with a mid-week match-up at DePaul on Tuesday.

For updates on Illinois State Softball, follow the Redbirds on Twitter (@RedbirdsSB) and Instagram (@redbirdsoftball).