March 31, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format 
NORMAL, Ill. -
The Illinois State baseball team (9-13, 0-6) will look to snap an eight-game losing streak when it travels to in-state rival Northern Illinois and Iowa for two midweek non-conference games this week. The Redbirds will first travel to DeKalb, Ill., to take on the Huskies Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. at Ralph McKinzie Field, followed by a meeting with the host Hawkeyes in Iowa City, Iowa Wednesday at 6 p.m.
Head coach Jim Brownlee believes this week's games are important for the Redbird lineup, as they will look to re-group before an important Missouri Valley Conference series this weekend at Evansville.
"This is week is an important week because it allows us to get back on track," said Brownlee. "It's a long season and we have hit some bumps in the road. We will have to pick up offensively, and that's the bottom line. It puzzling to me because I thought we did a good job, up-and-down the lineup, early on in the season. We have been struggling as of late, and I think we need to get re-focused. It's a huge week with five games on the road. We need to get a little bit of momentum going before we head to Evansville this weekend, which is a huge series for our team."
The Redbirds will be facing a Northern Illinois team that begins the week 9-14 overall and 3-3 in the Mid-American Conference. The Redbirds will face Brandon Copp in Tuesday's game. Copp is 1-3 with an 8.87 earned-run average (ERA) in four starts this season. The Huskies are led offensively by Jeff Thomas, who is batting a team-best .341 with three doubles and 18 RBI. The Redbirds will send junior Quinn Ewert to the mound in the game. Ewert is 0-0 with a 5.11 ERA in two starts this season.
When the Redbirds take on Iowa Wednesday, two of the opposing coaches will be renewing a family rivalry. Brownlee, the Redbirds' mentor, will square off against his son, Iowa assistant coach Ryan Brownlee. The younger Brownlee is in his fifth season with the Hawkeyes, after beginning his coaching career with his father at Evansville. Right-hander Zach Kenyon is expected to start for Iowa. Kenyon is 0-1 with a 5.11 ERA in two starts in 2008. Junior Dan Sorce will be making his second start of the season for the Redbirds. Sorce, who has been using primarily out of the bullpen, is 0-1 with a 7.17 ERA in nine appearances this season.
Fans can follow each this game with live statistics, available on GoRedbirds.com.
