May 7, 2009
NORMAL, Ill. - Illinois State enters its final weekend in Missouri Valley Conference play on the heels of a season-worst seven-game losing streak, including six league losses in a row, but head coach Jim Brownlee isn't complaining about the team's current position in the league standings.
"I don't think the Valley ever changes," Brownlee said. "It always comes down to the last weekend of teams getting in. You've got to take care of business. The nice thing is that we don't have to depend on anyone else - if we win our games, we're in the tournament.
"I like our position a lot better than Southern Illinois' or Evansville's. I've been in that position and there's a little bit more pressure on you there. If we win this series, then I feel a little bit more comfortable about where we're going to be. With the way the schedule is shaping up, it's really kind of fun. You couldn't have set it up any better."
The fifth-place Redbirds conclude Valley play with a three-game series at Bradley, starting Friday night at 7 p.m. Ryan Camp (4-3, 4.98 ERA) is slated to start for the Redbirds against Rob Scahill (3-2, 4.30 ERA) at O'Brien Field.
In the past five years, every team to finish Valley play .500 or above has finished in the top-six and qualified for the tournament - good news for the Redbirds, who have won at least one game in five of their seven MVC series and match-up with the last-place Braves. Illinois State is 9-10 in conference games this season and is attempting to earn the team's first State Farm MVC Tournament berth since 2001.
Illinois State has seen its share of firsts this season, handing Missouri State its first league and series loss and then a win at Wichita for the first time in 14 years. However, the Redbirds haven't won since April 18, the end of a series sweep at Northern Iowa, and have been swept in consecutive series at Southern Illinois and at home against Creighton.
"We kind of stubbed our toes," Brownlee said. "I thought Creighton was really good. I don't think we played that well at Southern Illinois, but I think that Creighton was really good and they just beat us. That's why they've got a chance to win the league. We've had four really good weekends in the league and I expect us to have the fifth one coming up this weekend."
Illinois State continues to be led offensively by Mike Stalowy (.338) and Ryan Court (.317). Both players earned MVC Player of the Week honors earlier this season and Court added a second individual award when he was named to the CoSIDA/ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District V First Team Thursday. Tyler McNeely hit two home runs Sunday against Creighton and leads ISU with seven on the season.
Corey Maines (6-3, 4.14 ERA) will follow Camp in the Redbirds' starting rotation and match-up against Joe Bircher (2-2, 3.47 ERA) Saturday. Ryan Copeland (3-5, 3.45 ERA) is scheduled to start Sunday's game for ISU against Collin Brennan (0-4, 6.99 ERA).
