The Illinois State softball team ended its preseason tournament schedule with a 7-0 win over UMass at the Make it Happen Games held at R.O.C. Park in Madeira Beach, Florida.
Hannah Meeks led the Redbirds offensively, going 3-for-4 with a grand slam, two doubles, five RBIs, and one run scored. Tatum Wolford contributed with two hits including a double and scored once. Julia Larson had two hits, drew a walk, and crossed the plate three times. Morgan Calhoun added an RBI single and scored a run.
On the mound, Paige McLeod pitched a complete game shutout, allowing six hits while striking out one and walking one batter. The performance improved her season record to 5-2 and marked her second complete game of the year.
The Redbirds took an early lead in the first inning when Wolford scored on a wild pitch. Calhoun then drove in Larson with an RBI groundout for a 2-0 advantage. In the third inning, Meeks hit a grand slam to right field to extend the lead further. She later doubled in another run during the seventh inning for her fifth RBI of the game.
Illinois State is scheduled to begin Missouri Valley Conference play with a three-game series against Evansville on March 4-5 at Cooper Stadium.
Illinois State Redbirds are associated with Illinois State University and compete in NCAA Division I events across various regions according to their official website. The athletics program uses resources such as the OSF HealthCare Athletics Training Center for student-athlete preparation and benefits from initiatives like the Redbird Athletics Excellence Fund to support competitiveness and recruitment (source). Fans can access news, schedules, rosters, and additional information through official channels (source).
