McLean County Times

The Illinois State University Redbirds are set to face the University of Northern Iowa Panthers in a crucial conference series in Cedar Falls. The matchup will be played indoors at the UNI Dome due to inclement weather, with a doubleheader scheduled for Saturday, April 27, and a single game on Sunday, April 28.

Illinois State comes into the series with a record of 19-27 and holds a conference record of 13-8. They currently stand fourth in the Valley standings, tied with Belmont. In contrast, the Panthers boast a season record of 25-15 and are positioned second in the conference with a 13-5 record. The Redbirds recently secured victories over Indiana State and Bradley Braves.

Despite leading the all-time series against Northern Iowa, Illinois State has not defeated them in conference play since 2021. Last year, UNI swept Illinois State during their meeting and went on to win the MVC Regular Season Championship.

UNI enters this series following recent wins over UIC and Drake. Their performance earlier this season includes an upset victory over No. 24 Auburn and triumphs against Southern Illinois.

Delainey Bryant from Illinois State maintains an impressive streak by reaching base in 30 consecutive games, which ranks as the third longest nationally. Teammates Abby Knight and Jayden Standish have also achieved notable streaks of their own.

For those interested in updates about Illinois State Softball or seeking more information about tickets and merchandise, they can follow various social media channels or visit GoRedbirds.com.