Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Softball Travels To Bradley For Crucial MVC Series
04/30/2004 | 12:00:00 | Softball
April 30, 2004
By Lou Antoine
SIUSalukis.com
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CARBONDALE, Ill. - With two weekends left in the Missouri Valley Conference season, second place Southern Illinois (35-14, 12-6 MVC) travels to Peoria, Ill. for a crucial three-game series against fifth place Bradley (29-23, 11-9 MVC), as the teams jockey for final position heading into the MVC Tournament.
"It's a big weekend. These last two weekends are huge. We're almost at the end of the regular season and we still have a shot at the regular season championship (Illinois State is first at 15-6). We have to go play hard and hope we can take all three games. If we focus, we can get the job done," said Kerri Blaylock, SIU head coach.
The Salukis were swept Tuesday by Illinois, losing three straight games for the first time this season. SIU now faces Bradley, a team that was picked ninth in the preseason poll, and is fighting for its first MVC berth since 2000 under new coach Venus Taylor. The Braves split two games with Drake last weekend before losing to Northwestern on Tuesday (5-2) and Northern Iowa 2-1 in nine innings on Thursday.
"They're very competitive and feisty. Bradley won't take a back seat to anybody. They can score some runs and their pitching staff has been able to hold people down. I think their coaching staff has done a tremendous job and (coach) Venus Taylor was a very fiery player, and her team is coming into her personality. We have to take them seriously, especially since they have a shot to make the tournament for the first time in a while," added Blaylock.
The Salukis lead the series with the Braves 32-21, splitting two games at West Stadium in 2003, which included winning the first game ever played at West Stadium 9-0. SIU is 8-4 against Bradley under Blaylock.
The series will begin with a Saturday doubleheader at 12 p.m. at Lower Bradley Park and wraps up Sunday with a single game at 12 p.m.
The Southern Illinois games with Bradley will be broadcast live by BU Student Radio via the internet at www.bubraves.com.
