March 19, 2007
NORMAL, Ill. -
Already 17 games into the 2007 baseball season, the Illinois State Redbirds have yet to step foot on their home turf at Redbird Field. However, that will all change on Tuesday as the Redbirds (8-9) will take on the Valparaiso Crusaders (2-10) in a non-conference mid-week showdown.
Tuesday's game against Valparaiso could also be a milestone day for ISU head coach Jim Brownlee. With 799 wins as a collegiate head coach, Brownlee could top the 800-win mark with a victory. That would put him in the 800-win club with fellow Valley skippers Gene Stephenson (Wichita State), Dewey Kalmer (Bradley) and Keith Guttin (Missouri State) in the 800-win club.
The Redbirds are fresh off an eight-game, 10-day spring break road trip that produced a 5-3 record. ISU began the trip with a three-game sweep of Southeast Missouri State, split a two-game series at Memphis during the week and finished the trip last weekend going 1-2 against Saint Louis.
Coach Brownlee couldn't remember a more successful spring in his long tenure as a head coach, which he thinks bodes well for his team's future success.
"That trip was my 28th as a head coach and I can't remember ever finishing 5-3, so that's a great sign of things to come," said Brownlee. "Our offense and team defense have been very strong to this point and our pitching continues to get better with time. I'm anxious to see if those strengths can carry over into Missouri Valley Conference play and we are looking forward to getting started in the league and playing some games at home."
ISU's first home test will be against the Valparaiso Crusaders on Tuesday. First-year head coach Tracy Woodson and his club has struggled, but coach Brownlee knows his team will not overlook their opponent.
"We struggled a little bit against Saint Louis who had a similar record, but I think our team has learned their lesson and will come out ready to play," said Brownlee. "They will be throwing one of their best pitchers and we always like to face the other team's best guy. I just hope our guys will be excited to play at home and will come out focused and execute."
Senior right-hander Mike Hlavacek (0-0, 5.40 ERA) will make his second start of the season for the Redbirds in Tuesday's contest. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.
