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Redbird Softball Left Out of NCAA Tournament Field
May 11, 2008
NORMAL, Ill. - For the first time since 2005, the NCAA Division I Softball Tournament will not feature the Illinois State softball team, as the Redbirds were left out of the 64-team field, as announced by the NCAA Division I Softball Selection Committee Sunday night. Just two Missouri Valley Conference teams (MVC regular-season champion Creighton and State Farm MVC Tournament winner Drake) were selected to participate in an NCAA Regional, the fewest Valley teams selected since 2004. Illinois State's 2008 season ended with a 28-20 overall record and a 17-7 mark in the Missouri Valley Conference. "I'm disappointed we didn't make the (NCAA) Tournament, but we knew that the one sure way we would see our name in the (NCAA) Tournament field was to win the (State Farm) MVC Tournament," said Illinois State head coach Melinda Fischer. "We just need to finish the season better in order to put ourselves in a better position (to get into the NCAA Tournament)." After going 28-19 overall in the regular season with a 17-7 mark in The Valley, the Redbirds earned a first- and second-round bye in the State Farm MVC Tournament, held this past Thursday-Saturday in Carbondale, Ill. In the MVC Tournament semifinals, second-seeded ISU went up against a red-hot No. 7-seed Missouri State team that had previously upset two other higher-seeded teams (No. 6 Evansville and No. 3 Southern Illinois). Backed by the strong pitching of senior Melissa Porche, the Bears recorded a 5-4 upset of the Redbirds to send Illinois State home for the second-straight year without making the conference tournament championship game. Illinois State will return 18 players from this season's squad, which will include eight position starters, along with its starting designated player (freshman Abby Olson). The Redbirds will also return their entire pitching staff, as first-team All-MVC member Amber Smith will anchor the Redbird pitching rotation.
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