May 11, 2010
NORMAL, Ill. - Illinois State will close the book on the non-conference portion of its schedule, when the Redbirds welcome Eastern Illinois to Duffy Bass Field Wednesday at 6 p.m. It's "Buck Night" at Duffy Bass Field, with tickets and hot dogs selling for $1.
Wednesday's game marks the beginning of a four-game home stand for Illinois State, which concludes its home schedule this weekend against Bradley (May 14-16). The Redbirds (24-18, 12-3 MVC) are coming off of their third Missouri Valley Conference series sweep as the team defeated Missouri State in Springfield, Mo., last weekend. The wins snapped a 13-game road losing streak to the Bears and marked the first road series sweep over Missouri State since 1992.
Illinois State remains the top team in the Valley standings with a 12-3 record in conference play and the Redbirds swept the league's weekly awards Monday, when Kevin Tokarski and Kenny Long were named the top player and pitcher of the week, respectively. It was the second Valley weekly honor for each player.
Tokarski leads the Redbirds into the mid-week contest against the Panthers (14-31, 9-11 OVC) with a .469 batting average and .583 on-base percentage - both the top marks in the nation. Tokarski is one double shy of tying the Illinois State single-season mark of 23, set by Kevin Dubler during the 2008 season. Long, Illinois State's closer, has posted a 1.24 ERA in 24 appearances for Illinois State and is 4-2 with seven saves. He could pitch in the contest, but the Redbirds will start sophomore right-handed pitcher Ryan Camp (4-4, 8.58 ERA).
Eastern Illinois defeated Jacksonville State, 10-3, Sunday, but dropped the first two games and the series to the Gamecocks to fall below .500 in Ohio Valley Conference play. The Panthers are 14-31 this season, a near inverse of their 31-19 finish in 2009. Alex Gee is the Panthers' top batter with a .343 batting average and seven home runs, with Alex Borenstein (.326, 9 HR) close behind. Troy Barton (1-4, 5.51) is expected to make his eighth start of the season in Wednesday night's game.
The Panthers hold a slight edge in the all-time series, 84-79-1, and defeated the Redbirds last season, 9-5, in Charleston, Ill.
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