Redbird Baseball Begins MVC Tournament Play Wednesday

Game Notes | Live Video | Live Stats 

NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State baseball team will attempt to knock off the top-seeded team at the Missouri Valley Conference Baseball Championship when it begins play at the league tournament Wednesday at Indiana State's Bob Warn Field.

No. 8-seed Illinois State (17-35, 7-13 MVC) will look to upset top-seeded and newly-crowned MVC regular-season champion Dallas Baptist (37-13, 15-5) when the teams meet in an opening-round game of the league tournament Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. CT in Terre Haute, Indiana.

Illinois State dropped to the No. 8 seed after being swept in a three-game series at Missouri State, May 19-21, at Hammons Field in Springfield, Missouri. Dallas Baptist, meanwhile, clinched the league's regular-season title by virtue of its 5-4 win at Wichita State May 19.

Dallas Baptist claimed the first two games of its regular-season series at Illinois State, April 8-10, at Duffy Bass Field. The third game of the series was rained out.

The Patriots have an 8-1 advantage in the all-time series against the Redbirds since joining the Valley in 2014.

Illinois State will start right-handed pitcher Steve Heilenbach (5-3, 2.95 ERA) Wednesday against Dallas Baptist. The Patriots will counter with MVC Pitcher of the Year, left-hander Colin Poche (8-0, 2.21).

Heilenbach was named an All-Missouri Valley Conference Second-Team selection Tuesday. Teammate Owen Miller, a freshman shortstop, earned All-MVC Honorable Mention status. Dallas Baptist led all Valley teams with eight All-MVC selections.

Illinois State will face either Southern Illinois or Evansville in its second game of the tournament Thursday. If the Redbirds win Wednesday, they'll play the winner of Southern Illinois-Evansville at 3 p.m. CT Thursday. If Illinois State loses Wednesday, it will play the loser of Southern Illinois-Evansville at 8 a.m. CT Thursday.

All games from the MVC Tournament will be broadcast live on ESPN3, and links for video and live stats are available at GoRedbirds.com. Fans can also receive live updates by following @RedbirdBaseball on Twitter.

GoRedbirds.com: Your online source for Illinois State Athletics tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.