Illinois State head coach Jim Brownlee said at the beginning of the 2003 baseball season that one of the teams goals was to be playing their best baseball in May. Coming off a four-game series sweep of Bradley last weekend, the Redbirds have won six of their eight games in May and have the longest current winning streak in the Missouri Valley Conference with four straight victories.
With their recent success, the Birds have put themselves back into position to qualify for the Valley Postseason Baseball Tournament from May 21-24. The top six teams in the league standings qualify for the tournament and Illinois State sits in seventh place with a record of 12-15. Indiana State is currently in sixth place, one half game ahead of the Redbirds with a record of 13-15. Creighton sits in fifth, a full game ahead of Illinois State with a record of 13-14.
The Redbirds host league-leading Southwest Missouri State this weekend for their final regular-season series of the 2003 season. The series begins on Thursday, May 15, with a 7 p.m. game against the Bears. Fridays doubleheader gets underway at 4 p.m. with a seven-inning game followed by a nine-inning night-cap. The series concludes on Saturday with a 1 p.m., nine-inning affair.
If you would have asked me three weeks ago about our chances of making the conference tournament, I would have laughed, said Brownlee. Our kids have done an outstanding job over the last three weekends to give us a good chance of still getting in. Right now, we are one of the hottest teams in the league.
Were not eliminated yet, continued Brownlee. I said at the beginning of the year that I expected our kids to be playing their best baseball in May and they responded to the challenge. Hopefully, our guys will keep playing well this weekend against SMS, because the way we are playing now gives us the chance to really make some noise in the conference tournament.
On Saturday, prior to the Redbirds regular-season finale against SMS, Illinois State will honor its four seniors: Howie Frank, Lance McMillan, Kevin ODell and Jon Peacock at approximately 12:30 p.m.
Immediately following the senior recognition, a special ceremony will be held at Redbird Field for Illinois State Hall of Famer Lee Buzz Capra. Capra will have his No. 9 officially retired and placed on the outfield wall at Redbird Field. He will become only the third Illinois State baseball player to have his number retired and only the ninth Illinois State athlete to receive the honor.
