Illinois Collegiate Challenge Info | Illinois State Softball
2009 Final Results: Recap | Pool Play | Bracket Play
2008 Final Results: Recap | Pool Play | Bracket Play
SATURDAY UPDATE: Rain caused a day one delay of the Illinois Collegiate Challenge. Action will resume at 10 am on Sunday, but no bracket play will take place, just Pool A, B, C, & D games. Prior to the rain delay, the Panthers and Salukis of SIU were scoreless in the bottom of the eighth inning.
CHARLESTON, Ill. -- The Eastern Illinois softball squad continues fall ball this weekend, competing in the second annual Illinois Collegiate Challenge. The two-day event begins will Saturday (Oct. 3) pool play, followed by a Sunday bracket schedule to be determined by Saturday's results.
The Panthers are set to open Pool D action against Southern Illinois and Western Illinois, with first pitches set for noon and 2:30 pm, respectively.
Competing in three championship brackets will be Division I state squads from Eastern Illinois, Bradley, DePaul, Illinois, Illinois-Chicago, Illinois State, Northern Illinois, Southern Illinois, SIU-Edwardsville, and Western Illinois; as well as Heartland and Lake Land junior college units. All games are being held at the Champion Fields in Normal, Ill., with the weekend event being co-hosted by the ISU Redbirds, as well as both the Bloomington-Normal Area Sports Commission and the Town of Normal Parks and Recreation.
“The past two weekends have been good for us,” said EIU head coach Kim Schuette, entering her fifth season as Panther skipper. “Undoubtedly, every time you step onto the field, you want to win. But at the same time that is not what fall softball is really about. Division I fall ball is used to evaluate your team, observe new players in action, and utilize different player combinations. Plus it is a good opportunity to see how your pitchers and the rest of the squad perform in pressure situations. Ultimately, that allows us determine what we need to review, improve, re-teach, and/or re-learn during the off-season, as the team prepares for spring play.”
EIU has already faced three of this weekend's opponents this fall season, taking a home double-header sweep of Lake Land, while last weekend the Panthers defeated Northern Illinois but dropped a tough 6-2 contest against Big Ten foe Northwestern up in Joliet.
“Thus far we have had several good, hard-fought games, which I'm sure will continue this weekend as well,” said Schuette. “This is by far the fastest team I have ever coached, yet we will still have the same power as in recent seasons. This year we are fortunate to have a full pitching staff, all of whom compliment each others' strengths and weaknesses.”
Individual player highlights from recent autumn play include a stellar effort by outfielder Angela Danca, as the senior had a double, triple, stolen base and a four RBI effort against Northern Illinois, while junior pitcher Amber May notched eight Ks off five innings of work against Big Ten power Northwestern. Two freshmen have also shined this fall, as pitcher Natalie Wunderlich pitched 4 2/3 innings of no hit softball against NIU, which included several strikeouts, while Melise Brown went 3-for-3 at the plate against Northwestern, nailing a homerun, two RBIs, and earning a stolen base.
“This weekend will be a showdown of Division I teams in the state of Illinois,” Schuette said. “The two-day event is great for the players, the parents, the fans and recruits. Although it may end up being chilly this weekend, the action will be hot and intense on the field. We will continue to showcase many different players, and utilize a variety of lineups and combinations. At the end of the day, we will measure our successes and make evaluations in several different ways. But more importantly, each time we step onto the field, EIU Panther Softball will look to win.”
In the inaugural Illinois College Challenge a year ago, the Panthers picked up the Silver Bracket title, as Eastern blanked Illinois State before earning a 4-3 victory over Southern Illinois. In pool play last fall, EIU downed Heartland College, but lost to Northwestern.
Following this weekend, the Panthers continue autumn action, hosting a three-game Blue/Gray inter-quad series on Oct. 14, 16 and 18, as well as battling an alumni squad on Oct. 17.
ILLINOIS COLLEGIATE CHALLENGE SCHEDULE
Pool A … DePaul, Bradley, Lakeland CC
Pool B … Illinois, Illinois State, Northern Illinois
Pool C … Heartland CC, Illinois-Chicago, SIU-Edwardsville
Pool D … EASTERN ILLINOIS, Southern Illinois, Western Illinois
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3 … POOL PLAY
Noon
Field 1 … Lakeland vs. Bradley
Field 2 … Illinois vs. Northern Illinois
Field 3 … SIU-Edwardsville vs. Heartland
Field 4 … Southern Illinois vs. EASTERN ILLINOIS
2:30 pm
Field 1 … DePaul vs. Lakeland
Field 2 … Northern Illinois vs. Illinois State
Field 3 … Heartland vs. Illinois-Chicago
Field 4 … EASTERN ILLINOIS vs. Western Illinois
5 pm
Field 1 … Bradley vs. DePaul
Field 2 … Illinois State vs. Illinois
Field 3 … Illinois-Chicago vs. SIU-Edwardsville
Field 4 … Western Illinois vs. Southern Illinois
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4 … BRACKET PLAY CANCELLED
… for more info, contact Bart Rettberg, Asst. SID
